Tag Archives: United States

Christian Living, Just Chatty Today, Political awareness

KEEPER of the WIND

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It is a lovely Monday in lower Alabama. The temps are comfortable, the sun is bright and cheery; added to all that there’s a gentle breeze dancing a waltz with the trees just outside my window – makes a girl glad to be alive.

Earlier in this happy day, I took a ride – Cedar Cove style – on my bicycle :). That same wind that dances so pleasingly with the trees can make a woman’s ride home a real muscle worker. The Wind.  Is surely our Teacher if we dare to be taught.

Winds cannot always blow our way; headwinds are meant to build muscle – spiritual character. So when we encounter a wind opposite our chosen course, let us realize that wind has one of two purposes: to build us some spiritual muscle or to alert us that we need to change our direction. And the KEEPER of the WIND knows that purpose; let us not hesitate to ask Him. 

The Winds of our Country have been blowing contrary to our roots, contrary to the Book upon which it was founded for not less than 5 decades now. But I do not want us to continue to be afraid or feel hopeless. There are wise, intelligent Americans with practical knowledge to lead us out of financial chaos; there are wise, intelligent Americans with skills and compassion to help us begin to alleviate our social sufferings; there are wise, intelligent Americans with a solid connection to the One and Only GOD who, I believe, is yet willing to help us and restore us again. 

This is my question: Who is willing to surrender to daily prayer, individually and/or corporately, for the HOLY SPIRIT of GOD to reveal who these people are and to position them and labor through them to save America?  Two more question: Am I one of those people? Are you one of those people?

16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

[source]

If you are surrendered to this praying, tell someone – get yourself an accountability partner and pray often with her/him.

HOLY SPIRIT, I pray You will call and Your People will answer and millions of Christians will not fail to pray daily for You to save us.

Kathie

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A Soldier, An Athlete, A Farmer (again)

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IDOK DEVOTION FOR THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 2010

A Soldier, An Athlete, A Farmer

Okay. On to today’s text – I want to continue examining 2 Timothy with you today for a few moments before we pray. 2 Timothy 2 (New King James Version)

1 You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. 3 You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. 4 No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier. 5 And also if anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. 6 The hardworking farmer must be first to partake of the crops. 7 Consider what I say, and may the Lord give you understanding in all things.    

            A good soldier does not fraternize with the enemy; a good athlete follows the rules of the sport, and a good farmer enjoys the fruits (and veggies) of his harvest.

            Is any of this easy? Heck no!  It’s all out war, and hard work!  Ask any good soldier. Ask any Olympic Medalist. Ask any farmer at the end of harvest.  He will tell you it was hard work, tough going and sometimes he wondered if he’d ever make it. But he did.  And when you say was it worth it; he’ll say, “oh my yes!  These peaches are so juicy it’ll run right down your arm, and this corn on the cob is the sweetest I’ve ever tasted!”   

            If we want the spiritual maturity we were re-born to have, we will stay out of carnality.  We will not fraternize with our own flesh, the world or Satan.  We will not  bend the rules, we will embrace them as the holy protective boundaries they are, praising God every minute that He has given them to us.  And we will cultivate the soil of our hearts, plant those seeds, water them, feed them, harvest them and then … when our battles are complete, our races are run, our crops are in the barn and we see HIM standing there absolutely, totally head over heels in love with us and He says, ‘Welcome Home.  All that is Mine is yours.’ — It will be worth it all!  Can we say Amen and amen?!

Colossians 3: (New King James Version) 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ. [source]

Well, it took longer than I thought, but I like it!  You are making me smile again today. I love it!  And, ABBA, I love you. Thank You, LORD GOD, for making it so; You are so good to me.  I hear what You are saying in these Wills up here.  If I want spiritual maturity I will follow Your rules, I will not walk in the flesh and I will do the work of a farmer.  It’s all about my ‘want to’ and You know in this moment oh I WANT TO, more than anything.  But You know me and I know me pretty good too – I get entangled!  But, You are helping me get entangled less and less these days.  Thank You.  I love it!  You are so Awesome!  Please don’t let this ‘taste’ leave my mouth.  And, ABBA, I figure there are some other IDOKs out there that want this too and I bet (well, You know) they are like me in that they are prone to get entangled too.  So I am asking You to keep after them too – every one of them that will say amen right about now.   This is fun and I love it but there are needs and we dare not neglect that part of ministry.   Some faces have popped up, some names linger, sweet people, precious people, hard stuff, lonely days and nights, wondering, scarcity, abundance but without peace; all this stuff.  But YOU are faithful and You are able; may it be that each one of them will experience You in faithfulness and power, in healings and restorations, and rescues and just sweet, sweet freedom from sin and bondage.  And protect our IDOK Troops again today, keep them safe, love on them so much they just feel it; move on Your Church with grace and mercy and conviction and the fresh fire of revival. Protect Israel, bring HER to the Land You have prepared for them; have mercy on the US, send conviction and grace to repent to the White House and every House I pray – all in the Name of Jesus, the One and Only. Amen and amen.

Kathie

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How Old Am I? (again)

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IDOK DEVOTION FOR THURSDAY, JANUARY 14, 2010

How Old Am I?

I Timothy 4:12 Let no one despise your youth, does that mean don’t act stupid, don’t give other folks cause to know we are foolish beyond our years? but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity. [source]
Does that mean that our chronological age is not an indicator of our maturity?  To the degree that we believe the Word, act upon the Word, love, live in the spirit instead of the flesh, share our faith with others, and maintain purity in our being is that the degree to which we are mature?
 13 Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. [source]

Could this be reading the Word for pleasure, sharing what we have read with others to encourage them? And pay attention to doctrine – doctrine does not come from casual reading, doctrine comes by study.  Doesn’t it? 14 Do not neglect the gift that is in you, I have a gift?
You have a gift! Don’t neglect them – well, how plain is that?! which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership. [source]
I heard Beth (Moore) teaching on this not long ago and she made it clear that the emphasis here is not that hands had to be laid on Timothy for him to receive his gift(s) but simply hands had been laid on him and he did have gifts from God to be used for God.  It’s similar for us, without or without the laying on of hands by certain elders – THE ELDER, Jesus Christ, has laid His Hands on us and gifted us for His glory.  We best not neglect it, huh?
15 Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all. [source]
Young or old the practice is the same – meditate and give ourselves. 16 Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Pay attention, to our own conduct and what we believe. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.  [source]
And when our conduct and our doctrine lines up with what we have been taught by Jesus and, yes, those following Him, we are saved.  This is not addressing our salvation from hell, but rather our salvation from the ‘hell’ in us – our flesh, our fallen human personalities. Oh to have our personalities SAVED!  And to be sure as we are saved, we do influence others to be saved, from hell and the ‘hell’ within them too.

I remember I was so excited a few days ago when we read this Text together and You talked to me about it, Father.  I pray that as our IDOKs and our Readers read it today that You will speak again; that You will build excitement and encouragement in them too.  I remember that moment when You saved me from hell; it was like a nanosecond deliverance from the kingdom of darkness to Your Kingdom of Light; but the process since then of getting the ‘hell’ out of me has been a long, long process and I know it will not end until I see You, Lord Jesus.  I look forward to the day when You complete me and my whole being (personality) will be saved.  Thank You.  Those two words are so inadequate.

No doubt our IDOKs and Readers have responsibilities and duties waiting for them when they rise to greet this day and I pray for them to be encouraged and to have strength in spirit, soul, and body to do them.   I pray for discernment to KNOW what You have called us to do and what You have not and I pray we will have the COURAGE to say Yes to You and NO to those things that You have not ordained for us, even the good stuff that we like doing, Father. 

And You know I have _________ on my mind this morning and this pain and illness that she is experiencing.  She hurts, Lord, and it is so discouraging to her; it has been a while now.  And, Lord, we are not complaining we are just coming to You with our petitions for healing.  And we rest these petitions with You for all who are spoken here by each one who comes here to read and pray; and for our IDOK Troops, for their safety and protection today in spirit, soul, and body; and we again renew our request that each of them come home safe and sound.  Thank You, Father. 

And we are thinking of the people of Haiti.  We know You are mindful of them and the conditions there; we feel helpless and are without words to pray; but I know You are there.  I know You are there to comfort and restore. Is there more we can do?  Is there a way for us to be hands and feet from this distance; guide us, Lord?  Show us what You want us individually to do in Jesus’ Name and for His Glory, not only for the People of Haiti but here in America and around the world.    Amen and amen.

Kathie