Our Daily Bread – The White Stone

IDOK DEVOTION FOR FRIDAY, JANUARY 15, 2010

Circuit Breakers

I opened my Our Daily Bread (Radio Bible Class publication) devotional for today, (Thursday, January 14, 2010), read the Scripture and read the devotional thought by Cindy Hess Kasper, and her words ‘That’s because the power for living comes from God and not us’.; all of a sudden were highlighted by the Holy Spirit. I knew He was speaking and I was/am so glad to listen. There are many things in this life I love, but hearing from Him and sharing what He says is without rival, my greatest joy. But that’s not the point here; so I will move on. The power for living comes from God, not us. So if I feel powerless I really need to immediately check what it is that has kicked the breaker. Cindy’s devotion says it is sin and she is right. Sin is what cuts the lines of fellowship. And notice I said ‘fellowship’ not ‘relationship’. For since I am in Christ, I have eternal relationship but the fellowship is hindered when sin interrupts the circuits – the breaker kicks. And when this happens we can and should immediately activate I John 1:⁹ If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. [source] And the power (fellowship) will be immediately restored. So in areas of my life wherein I feel powerless, in those areas where I experience defeat after defeat; in those areas where I have a sense of hopelessness to change, it is time for me to go to the Breaker Box and flip the switch, because the power for living comes from HIM, not me. I hope this energizes you as it has me today. It’s a breath of fresh air sweeping out the stale! Because the power for living, for overcoming, for success, for triumph, for wisdom, for discernment, for making right choices, the will to say NO, the will to say YES, you name it — ALL comes from Him, it’s not us!

1 John 4: (Holman Christian Standard Bible) 4 You are from God, little children, and you have conquered them, because the One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. [source]

Many hours with its thoughts, deeds and events have come and gone since the writing of this, ABBA, but Your Truth is still Truth. And it always will be; that is so good! And I am so grateful to believe it and know it. Thank You. I am relieved and grateful for answered prayer. And, there are other Sweet Ones that have not been feeling well this week that I am thinking of too, I see their precious faces and I ask You to make them well. And, there may be little faces in Haiti without moms or dads and there are moms and dads without little faces and on and on relationships that have been taken away and, ABBA, there is no doubt that no human on this planet is as grieved about this as You are; not one caring soul on this planet even comes close to caring like You and because that is true You are there and You are working there to restore and heal and I pray the restoration and healing will be received and I pray that the material help that nations are sending will arrive and be delivered properly and I pray there will be no lack. There are some IDOKs who are traveling today, I pray for safety and protection from all harm for them, for vehicles to function properly and for kind people to encounter along the way and, ABBA, if a word of Witness is needed, I pray it will be given. And, ABBA, others are coming to mind and You know who they are and You know the concern and You know what it is needed and I pray it will be done. And on and on goes this list of dearly loved people and I ask that You tend each one of them. We pray for our IDOK Troops, You have been so gracious to each of them and we pray for more grace for them today, for continued safety and protection in spirit, soul and body and all these things we ask in Jesus’ Mighty and Holy Name. Amen and amen.

Kathie

We were a bit off kilter this weekend and on Saturday my beloved omitted the reading of Our Daily Bread at breakfast. So he had some additional reading this morning.

The writer of Saturday’s ODB was David McCasaland and it was entitled Stick Together. He talked about fire ants. You know those pesky creatures that hurt like the mischief when they sting you? This is what Mr. McCasaland reported about them:

“For years, scientists have wondered how fire ants, whose bodies are denser than water, can survive floods that should destroy them. How do entire colonies form themselves into life rafts that can float for weeks? A Los Angeles Times article explained that engineers from the Georgia Institute of Technology discovered that tiny hairs on the ants’ bodies trap air bubbles. This enables thousands of the insects, “which flounder and struggle in the water as individuals,” to ride out the flood when they cling together.”

And if you will click HERE and read the devotion you will see a spiritual correlation of ‘sticking together’ in the Body of CHRIST for the good of us all. And I believe Scripture bears that out.

However, what I was reminded of this morning as my beloved read was this:

Psalm 19:1-3 The Message (MSG)

1-2 God’s glory is on tour in the skies, God-craft on exhibit across the horizon. Madame Day holds classes every morning, Professor Night lectures each evening.
3-4 Their words aren’t heard, their voices aren’t recorded, But their silence fills the earth: unspoken truth is spoken everywhere.
via Psalm 19:1-3 MSG – A David Psalm – God’s glory is on tour – Bible Gateway.

And from there, here:

Romans 1:20 New Living Translation (NLT)

20 For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.
via Rom 1:20 NLT – For ever since the world was created, – Bible Gateway.

And how about this translation:

Romans 1:20 New Century Version (NCV)

20 There are things about him that people cannot see—his eternal power and all the things that make him God. But since the beginning of the world those things have been easy to understand by what God has made. So people have no excuse for the bad things they do.
via Romans 1:20 NCV – There are things about him that people – Bible Gateway.

And from there, here:

Psalm 14:1 King James Version (KJV)
1 The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. . . .

via Psalm 14:1 KJV – The fool hath said in his heart, There – Bible Gateway.

There are a few of ABBA’s creatures that I am not wild about but I can learn something about HIM from each of them and when those creatures I am not wild about invade my space I learn something about me!

HE IS AWESOME! ALL WISE and ALL KNOWING. We act like fools when we don’t trust Him. Would you agree?

ABBA, thank You for this morning’s thoughts; I pray we will all ponder them until they have a niche in our hearts that will control how we think, what we say and how we respond to Your Creation, those we like and those we don’t. I know You understand. Thank You for the smile. Thank You for the privilege of communication and thank You for each one who comes here to read and pray and for them and for myself I pray we will have ears to hear and eyes to see the things You desire to individually show us today. I pray for peace and safety in each life and for each burden and care that they bring here, shared with this ministry and not shared, I ask for strength to trust You and for You to heal our sick and wounded and comfort those grieving. I pray for wisdom and practical helps for families and for prodigal sons and daughters to soon find themselves in their respective pig pens and come home to You and to their families. No person in my ‘world’, ABBA, is without conflicts; thank You that You are more than sufficient for all our troubles; help us lean on You, rest our whole selves upon You in JESUS name and for His sake. Amen and . . . . .

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