Tag Archives: Word

Christian Living, Political awareness

Take a Walk

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Mulling over some thoughts this morning related to desiring to please; desiring to be consistently obedient, desiring to just do a better job of living out this Christian Life, I picked up my Bible and began to read aloud as I walked from room to room. It is my custom to continually keep a radio playing Christian music, at various volumes depending on the time of day or night, to bless the house. No I am not kidding; it works for me. So, I said to myself, if Christian music will bless a house, what would the reading of Scripture do?!! So I set out to find out – perhaps it will take more than one day to ascertain the full benefits; although I did enjoy myself I will say.

This is one of the Psalms I read.

Psalm 146 Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)

146 Halleluyah!

Praise Adonai, my soul!
2 I will praise Adonai as long as I live.
I will sing praise to my God all my life.

3 Don’t put your trust in princes
or in mortals, who cannot help.
4 When they breathe their last, they return to dust;
on that very day all their plans are gone.

5 Happy is he whose help is Ya‘akov’s God,
whose hope is in Adonai his God.
6 He made heaven and earth,
the sea and everything in them;
he keeps faith forever.

7 He secures justice for the oppressed,
he gives food to the hungry.
Adonai sets prisoners free,
8 Adonai opens the eyes of the blind,
Adonai lifts up those who are bent over.
Adonai loves the righteous.
9 Adonai watches over strangers,
he sustains the fatherless and widows;
but the way of the wicked he twists.

10 Adonai will reign forever,
your God, Tziyon, through all generations.

Halleluyah!

I am an analyzer. It’s what I do. It’s a gift and curse – just ask my daughters. It is possible I have spoiled a movie or two with my analyzing. Enough said about that … :) Moving on to Church.

I think something is missing in Corporate Worship in all the churches I am familiar.  Can you guess what I think in particular it is?  The Reading Aloud of The Word; not as part of the sermon, but just for the sheer joy of hearing it read. But not by just any Reader but one who treasures the Word, one who is passionate about Scripture, one who flat-out enjoys saying the Words.  I really think it would bring people to a place of worship.

And if it is good for the Church House; it’s good for my house and your house. Try it. Pick up your favorite translation and take a walk down the hall, through the den and into the kitchen reading ABBA’s love letter to you.  I think you will like it.

If you have a few more minutes, visit Beth’s Blog and check out this Responsive Reading click HERE. I can tell you from experience, there’s nothing like it when you have 15,000 women together hearing from the Father.

Thank You, ABBA, for again allowing us to gather here. And I pray that someone will be encouraged and that a seed of intense love for Your Word will take root in many hearts. I pray the sheer joy of hearing Your Word read aloud will take hold and that we the people will hear Your Word being read all around. You have promised that Your Word will not return void but will accomplish Your Purpose when You send it forth so we rely upon Your promise and ask to be co-laborers with You speaking Your Word around this world.  And because of this world in which we live there is no doubt some Readers have come here with burdens; for themselves or for others and so I pray Your Attention and Intervention over them for peace of mind and calmness of soul and for healing of bodies and minds and families. And we are mindful of the unrest here in America and around the world. We say to You that we are weary of all things political  and we pray for Your Will to come. And in it all we proclaim You are good and we trust You to bring truth and justice to completion in JESUS name.
Kathie

If you are interested, another link: Reading Scripture aloud in my house

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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

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Seven Words (again)

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IDOK DEVOTION FOR MONDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2010
Seven Words
I was struck with soberness as I read in Philippians 2 today.  Be forewarned.
14 Do all things without complaining and disputing,
There.  I’ve put it on the page. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven words. This is probably the slowest I have ever typed devotional words on a screen.  What can I say?  What can we answer to that?  Remember last week I think it was – when we said that when we read Scripture we are to respond to God with what do You want me to do with this Scripture?   Can you hear Him say, ‘Do it.’?  Is there any other response that will honor verse 14 of Philippians 2? Do all things without complaining and disputing. Get out of bed without complaining. Go to the office, without complaining. Open my umbrella without complaining.   Words are failing me to describe to you the grip these words have on me today – oh, I hope they NEVER release me! I can see how different my world would be.  I can see my face bright and glowing.  As I walk, I can see my steps are less encumbered even with a precious cargo of adversity in my arms. These seven words were not given to burden us, nor slap us, nor condemn us, but to free us! Can you see it?  Oh, please tell me you see it!  To lift our faces. To make our eyes bright, even sparkling. To bubble up grins from our merry souls. I see astonished people watching.  I see some astonished enough to try it for themselves.  I see people changing.  I see miracles all over the place.  I see women. I see men. I see children – loving, laughing, rejoicing.  I see ABBA ‘pulling surprise boxes off shelves and placing them on our front porches’. I see new-old neighborhoods, new-old churches – not perfect ones, but so inviting, so compelling that others come.  Some out of curiosity, but still they come; they look, they see, they are moved to live there too.  15 that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, 16 holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.
It’s not a fairy tale.  It’s not meant to be just wishful thinking.  It’s real life – it’s the life you and I are expected to live – anything less and we all get cheated!

Oh, DADDY, I see it.  And by Your grace I am going to learn to live it! In Jesus Name for His Holy, Totally Deserving Self, I commit myself before You and these IDOKs to learn day by day to live these seven words for Your glory alone!  I know I will not do it perfectly, I know I will slip shamefully at times, fall flat on my face and think I am crazy for even trying again; but I will get up as fast as Your Grace can lift me.  By Your Spirit, I will get up, step up and keep going.  The work You have begun You will complete, I’m holding You to it, DADDY.  I love you so!  I hear that.  I got to be nuts doing this, but, ABBA, I need the accountability and there is no doubt YOU are worth it all.   And, ABBA, I figure there have got to be some others out there that are willing to take these seven words and let them live in them too and I pray for them for the courage to let You do this in them.  LORD, there must be cells of saints all over to live these words and IDOKs might as well be one of those cells of peoples.  You did not bring us together just to read devotions; there’s more and I pray for the more.   I pray for our IDOK Troops; for their safety, for their maturing in the faith; for their well being in spirit, soul and body. We commend them to You.  We commend all these too and we give ourselves to be hands and feet of service to them as You will.  Amen and amen in the Name that is Above Every Name, The Son of the Most High, Jesus the Christ.

Kathie