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Up a Tree (again)

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IDOK DEVOTION FOR TUESDAY, JANUARY 12, 2010

Up A Tree

Luke 19:1-10 (New King James Version) [source]

1 Then Jesus entered and passed through Jericho. 2 Now behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich. 3 And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not because of the crowd, for he was of short stature.

Sometimes measuring up is just so hard.  Measuring up to other people’s expectations. Sometimes we even take on other’s expectations of us and we feel even shorter, don’t we?  I do. I compare me to others and most often I see me as too short.  4 So he ran ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree I wonder what our sycamore trees look like today.  What do we do to make ourselves feel ‘taller’?  What do we do to feel like we measure up?  to see Him, for He was going to pass that way. 5 And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and saw him, Can you imagine?  Wonder what Zacchaeus was thinking. Did he climb the tree to see and not be seen?  And if he did, did he feel like he had been found out?  Was he relieved? Did he still feel too short or did he feel like he had just instantly grown 2 feet when his eyes met Jesus’ eyes?and said to him, “Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house.” 6 So he made haste and came down, and received Him joyfully.Looks like there’s our answer – he received Him joyfully.  Can you imagine Zacchaeus coming down out of that tree and leading Jesus to his house?  Wonder if he thought about whether or not his bed was made that morning – and what the rest of his house looked like?  Probably not; but I might have. 7 But when they saw it, they all complained, saying, “He has gone to be a guest with a man who is a sinner.” Praise ABBA that Jesus comes to sinners! How sad ‘they’ didn’t know they were ‘too short’ too.   8 Then Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold.” Oh yes I would say Zacchaeus received Jesus that day and not just as a guest but as a ‘Permanent Resident’! 9 And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham; 10 for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”  Oh, the beauty of knowing we are too short – that is if knowing we are too short sends us up THE TREE, straight to Jesus and there we receive and believe His good news – that Salvation is ours in Him and Him alone!  Not only our salvation from eternal damnation but from condemning ourselves day after day too.

Romans 8: (New King James Version) 1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. [source]

Thank You, ABBA, You knew I needed that and maybe I am not the only one.  Maybe others have Monday mornings when they feel too short and condemned too.  Thank You that in You, none of us are too short or condemned, and we have Your Word on it.  And thank You that more and more we are standing on Your Word; standing and believing.   I pray for all our IDOKs and Readers, You have given me so many wonderful Sisters and Brothers on the other side of this screen.  I don’t see their faces, but You do.  Even in this very moment You see them, You see their joys and their sorrows and You have the answers, You have the solution to every problem, You have the provision for every need and You are right there and right here to answer and give and provide it all.  And so I pray it will be so experimentally for each of them and me too. I pray it will be so for our IDOK Troops too and their families and not only these but all who are spoken here today – every face, every heart – be open before You for every little detail You want to perfect in our needy souls for Jesus’ Name sake.  Amen and amen.

Kathie

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In or Out (again)

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IDOK DEVOTION FOR WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 13, 2010

In or Out

2 Timothy 4 (New King James Version) 1 I charge you thereforeagain the therefore, there for because of previous verses which tell us because we have the Scripture and because it fully equips us THEREFORE we are chargedbefore God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: 2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. [source] In season and out of season. So far today this is as far as I have gotten with this passage.  I consulted the Greek Lexicon and found what I expected.  We are to be ready to tend to the souls of men, to be equipped and ready to speak the Word of God into their situations at every opportunity we have whether it is convenient for us or not.  To me that means even when I am in a hurry to move on to something I want to do, if the Holy Spirit places a needy soul in front of me I am to stop and minister to them, putting aside my agenda – my want to.  Okay. I expected that. You did too, right? But one of those Greek words prompted other thoughts in me. The text reads in season and out of season.  The Greek word for ‘in season’ [source] is eujkaivrwB which is transliterated eukairos and it means seasonable, timely, opportune; but the Greek word for ‘out of season’ [source] surprised me.  It is ajkairevomai and it is transliterated akaireomai and it means to lack opportunity.  And that stunned me at first.  If we lack opportunity, that means we are without opportunity, right? Yes, I think so.  So this is what I think ABBA is saying to us — because we have His Word, because His Word is completely able to equip us to minister even when we are in a dry spell; even when we are ‘shut up’ we might say; even then He expects us to keep on applying ourselves to study.  He still expects us to be ready to give a reason for our hope, to be ready to minister His Word even when the opportunity to see a soul is remote at best.  Even when we have not had an opportunity in what seems like forever! Still He expects us, He has charged us, to keep on delving into His Word, keep on meditating on it, keep on memorizing Scripture, keep on keeping on living in His Word, to keep on practicing living in His Presence until that time comes when we do have opportunity to minister His Word again. In Season and Out of Season.  This’ll preach!  This’ll keep us ‘Asher’.  (Asher meaning feeling blessed, not just knowing positionally we are blessed!) [source]

Thank You, You did it again, DADDY.  I asked You to speak to me and You did.  I am grateful.  You are too good to me; but, please keep on doing it.  And I want to keep on practicing living in Your Presence.  It’s the best life yet! 

Thank You for the opportunity to pray for_________.  We do not dare thank You for needs for surgery as we know that no disease, illness or injury comes from You.  We do thank You for doctors and procedures; and we thank You most that You are with us in these diseases and illnesses and injuries; that they do not take You by surprise and You are not worried how You are going to make this turn out alright – it is already done with You.  That is good.  Thank You.  So we entrust each One spoken here today to You and wait expectantly to see what You do.     We trust You to send in helps of every kind to perfect this work, DADDY. 

We pray now for our IDOK Troops; they are ever before us and we always desire their safety and well being and their eventual returns home safe and sound.  We trust them to You today and always.

Again we come collectively presenting names, faces, lives and needs asking You to take notice individually.  Asking You to not over look any one of them; we know we often miss needs and faces but You never do.  That comforts us and them.  And I pray that the faces I know You will pass them before me and prompt me to pray not just now but any time they need support or encouragement, when a battle is raging and they need victory.  We want to stand in the gap, DADDY.  And You have equipped us.  Thank You in Yeshua’s Holy and Perfect Name we pray.  Amen and amen.

Kathie

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Seventeen and Prison Cells (again)

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IDOK DEVOTION FOR THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2010

Seventeen and Prison Cells

Genesis 39:1 Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt.  And Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him down there. [source]

Can we by any stretch of our imaginations visualize how Joseph was feeling standing there on the slave block?  Let us recall that Joseph was about 17 when his brothers ‘gifted’ him with a ticket to Egypt.  Seventeen and previously rich.  Seventeen and the favored son. Seventeen and a former clothes horse, we might say; remember that coat of many colors that ONLY he had.  Seventeen and a dreamer of dreams that he did not keep to himself; which contributed to landing him on the slave block. What emotions do you imagine were coursing through his veins?  Do you think he ever asked God, why?  Do you think he would have understood if God had answered him immediately? Let us step into Joseph’s shoes when we are asking ‘Why, God, why’? As we read Joseph’s story, we can readily see the why God why for Joseph.  And I dare say one day when we look back over our lives, when this present circumstance (story) is told, we too will see why God why.  But for now, let us choose to take comfort and find strength the way Joseph did.Verse 2: The LORD was with Joseph . . .  .   Verse 5: . . . the LORD blessed . . . for Joseph’s sake; and the blessing of the LORD was on all that he had in the house and in the field. [source]

This GOD who loved/loves Joseph loves YOU (and me) no less than He loved (loves) Joseph.  Will HE do less for YOU (or me) than HE did for Joseph? Not if we will set our minds and our souls to obey Him.  Read more about Joseph.  Read how he obeyed.  Read how ABBA responded to Joseph’s obedience.  We might learn something and we just might garner some motivation to do likewise, even from our own ‘prison cells’.
Remember! Remember the Last Thing our children and grandchildren and we ourselves need is to compromise, neglect and fail to LIVE SCRIPTURE.
Romans 12:19 (New King James Version) 19 Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. [source]
And tomorrow maybe we will be blessed with another verse to ask ourselves are we obeying this consistently. 
ABBA, It’s been a fruitful day, I think and I am grateful.  Thank You.  I pray now that You will use the words on this page to minister to the minds and souls of our IDOKs and Readers.  I pray Your Word will empower us and change us for Your glory and our good.  I pray for a compelling will to love You and live Your Word.   And we pray for friends and family and the many needs of our people listed here; that each one will receive from You what they are hoping and praying for and if that is not Your Will, we expect for them better than they are praying.   We pray for our IDOK Troops, for their safety and protection; for peace of mind too and safe and sound returns home — please, LORD.    And as I put this edition to ‘bed’ I ask You to quiet and give rest to each one on this email list and to any that will stop by the webpage – You know who that will be even now and I pray for them that You will minister to them then and now.  That now, tonight, they will rest and be refreshed and that in the morning when they awaken You will be first on their minds and Your Holy Name, giving You praise will be the first words they utter.  Thank You, ABBA.  We love you too.

Kathie

1 John 4:19 (New King James Version) 19 We love Him because He first loved us.  [source]

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Bottom Line or Smack-dab in the Middle (again)

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IDOK DEVOTION FOR MONDAY, JANUARY 25, 2010

Bottom Line or Smack-dab in the Middle

Joyce said this (Friday) morning that it took the Hebrews 40 years to make an eleven (11) day journey.  And that is true.  She also said that it took that long because they were continually impatient, murmuring and complaining. And she is right again, they did that.  But why did they do that? Why did they murmur and complain?  Why were they impatient? Was it because they were human?  Not really.  Was it because the days were long and hot and dry?  To be sure they were that; but I don’t think that was the reason for their impatience or the murmuring or the complaining.  So what was it?  I believe ABBA gives us the answer in Hebrews 3.  There He speaks of the People who came out of Egypt with Moses and we clearly know of whom He was speaking. And then we read verse 19 and we have our answer. 19 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief. [source] So what did they not believe?  Here’s what I think.  I think they refused to believe that GOD IS GOOD.  I think they had lies running through their heads and they chose to believe those lies. Maybe thoughts like these: God cannot be good or He would not put us through this.  He would not leave us out here in this wilderness if He loved us.  He would give me something besides this ______ if He cared about me. He knows I am miserable and still He does nothing to change this mess.  My feet hurt and I’m tired of this! What kind of God is He to let me suffer like this? No good God would do this. Maybe He does not exist at all.  How could He even be God and let this happen to me?

See what I mean?  Any soul who entertains these kinds of thoughts will become bitter, they will complain, and they will murmur because they are smack-dab in the middle of UNBELIEF.  And there is only one way out – stop believing the lies and believe God.  Simple, huh? Yes, simple, but impossible to do – alone that is.  Yes, without faith it is Impossible.  But with God all things are possible, even believing Him.

Hebrews 11:5-7 (New King James Version)

5 By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, “and was not found, because God had taken him”; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God. 6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. 7 By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith. [source]

This has been called God’s Hall of Faith and it goes on and on.

The Bottom Line is this: God IS, He is Good and He loves us – believe Him or not, it’s our choice.  And yes we can believe Him if we want to.  To say we cannot believe is just another lie from the pits of hell.  God built into every one of us a measure of faith big enough to believe Him – if we want to.  Faith enough for our eternal salvation and faith enough to withstand whatever He allows hell to throw at us in the here and now.  Say it with me: God is Good, all the time, every time, God is good!

Romans 12:3 (New King James Version) For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. [source]

I have one more verse to offer.  As we read it let us be mindful that the sin of unbelief starts as a ‘temptation’.

1 Corinthians 10: (New King James Version)13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.  [source]

ABBA, Thank You that even the temptation of unbelief can be overcome; that You have made a way of escape for us.  Thank You that You have given each of us the measure of faith that we, individually, need.  You have not left any one of us without the spark to build a roaring fire of faith in You.  Thank You.  This gives me much comfort and I pray it will all our IDOKs and Readers.   And now we come to ask You to minister to all those spoken here; we do not know enough to pray with specifics so I am specifically asking You to heal, and glorify Yourself so much that if there is any lost soul who sees what You do that they will come out of their unbelief and be saved.   And we pray for our IDOK Troops, for their safety and protection, and most of all for them to know You and love You more fully. There are many other things on the minds and hearts of each of us, I pray for Your Will to be done in all of it for Jesus Name sake.  Amen and amen.

Kathie

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Thee and Me (again)

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IDOK DEVOTION FOR TUESDAY, JANUARY 26, 2010

Thee and Me

            May I tell you I would love to be a poet, but, alas, I am not! However, Calvin Miller is.  I meet him in June of 2004 and he autographed a book for me – When the Aardvark Parked on the Ark.  It’s a children’s book that grown ups can read.  This poem from his book and a verse a two from DADDY GOD’s Book, I think, will be our devotion today.  See if you find a correlation, even a revelation. Does this poem speak volumes to thee, or is it just me?

EATING WITH YOUR EYES OPEN

If a cannibal asks you to dinner don’t groan

Just find out if he ends his dinners alone.

Be sure, above all (if dinner’s at five),

He has it all cooked before you arrive.

Cannibals do have quite excellent taste,

But keep on your side of the table, alert

If your host licks his lips and stares past dessert.

Cannibals are big eaters and terribly strong.

And believe me, their friends never last very long.

Galatians 5: (New King James Version) 14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another! 16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. [source]

This seems to me to be breaking devotional rules,

It’s not something I would normally do.

But I pray this serious subject spoken in what I think, a silly way,

Will ring true in our minds and our souls, this day.

Maybe then we will not pick up a knife and a fork,

To devour someone who should be so close to our heart.

DADDY GOD, I confess I am still sick to my stomach thinking about ___________ and family; I feel drained of words.  I just want to sit here in silence.  Oh how that Mother must feel. Oh DADDY, how do You do it?  How do You bear all this?  I know I wouldn’t have the capacity to understand even if You told me. Help these families; help them breathe, hold their souls together, keep them sane with this insane news.

I can’t just keep sitting here, staring at this screen, the hour is late, bodies are tired.  Comfort us and rest us, I pray.  And tend to every soul written here.  And our IDOK Troops, still we pray for protection and safety and comfort and healing of wounds and safe returns home. Amen and amen.

From “Tales From the Hasidim” Rabbi Moshe of Kobryn said, “When a man suffers, he ought not to say, “That’s bad! That’s Bad!” Nothing that God imposes on man is bad.  But it is all right to say, “That’s bitter!”  For among medicines there are some that are made with bitter herbs.

Kathie