Tag Archives: United States

Copy Paste Chew Again

A Soldier, An Athlete, A Farmer (again)

Gallery Leave a comment

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

Copy Paste Chew Again

How Old Am I? (again)

Gallery Leave a comment

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

Copy Paste Chew Again, KWT Paraphrasing

The Last Thing (again)

Gallery Leave a comment

IDOK DEVOTION FOR WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2010

The Last Thing

I’m just going to put this one out here just like it came to me way early this morning. The Last Thing our children and grandchildren need is for them to see us being unfaithful to the Scriptures.

Hebrews 10: 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.  [source]

In a Kathie Whitestone Thompson paraphrase: we better be walking the talk at home and in a Bible Believing, preaching Local Assembly (Church)!  The LAST THING we should be doing in the days before THE DAY is failing to LIVE the Scriptures.  It’s not just the world at stake here, it’s our ‘babies’ and our ‘grandbabies’.  So we have to ask ourselves what Scripture passages am I not consistently living?  The key word is consistently – not perfectly, but diligently and faithfully refusing to compromise what we know He has commanded us to do and, yes, to not do too. 

My Dear Sisters and Brothers, it’s been a long day.  Let’s pray.  We love you all.

ABBA, You are so good to me!  Thank You for this Word to us today and I am asking You to gently or firmly confirm this Word to us individually and to do so in such a way that there is no room for doubt just what portion of Your Word we, individually, are not faithfully living.  I ask You to make it so uncomfortable for us that we will not rest until we confess and cease to transgress Your Commands.   Thank You, Holy Spirit, for watching over Your Word to confirm it and make it alive in us.  Thank You for the promises You have given us, both the conditional ones and the unconditional ones.  Thank You that we can ask anything of You and according to Your will, You will do it.    And so, ABBA, according to Your Will we ask that You minister and tend to every person whose name may be spoken here.   We pray too for our IDOK Troops, for their safety and protection in spirit, soul and body and for their safe returns home.    I pray Your People will find their voices and places to stand and serve You and this great nation called America.  I pray, You will bless the people of America with conviction.  Lord, I am asking You to be merciful and convince this people of sin, of righteousness and judgment to come if Your Gift of Salvation in Christ Jesus alone is refused or neglected. I ask for Peace for Israel and that You will subdue all their enemies in the Mighty and Holy Name of Yeshua.  Amen and amen.

Kathie

As a Post Script over three years later; this Word is fresh again and I need it!!

Copy Paste Chew Again

Thee and Me (again)

Gallery Leave a comment

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