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Done Before It’s Done (again)

IDOK DEVOTION FOR FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 2010

Done Before It’s Done

Let me share with you how little it takes to excite me and make me smile.  A couple days this week I have read the same words at two addresses in Scripture: Luke 19:32 and Luke 22:13.  These are the words: went and found it just as He had said. 

Here are the texts in entirety: Luke 19:32 So those who were sent went their way and found it just as He had said to them. Luke 22:13 So they went and found it just as He had said to them, and they prepared the Passover.  [source] [source]

In Luke 19, Jesus sent His disciples for the colt upon which He would ride into Jerusalem.  He told them just where the colt would be and just what to say to the master of the colt.  They went and it was just as He told them it would be.  In Luke 22 He told His Disciples to go and prepare for Passover.  This is what He said in context.

7 Then came the Day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover must be killed. 8 And He sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat.”  9 So they said to Him, “Where do You want us to prepare?”  10 And He said to them, “Behold, when you have entered the city, a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him into the house which he enters. 11 Then you shall say to the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says to you, “Where is the guest room where I may eat the Passover with My disciples?”’ 12 Then he will show you a large, furnished upper room; there make ready.”  13 So they went and found it just as He had said to them, and they prepared the Passover. [source]

I love it!  He told them, they obeyed, and as they did they found it just like He said they would.  Look what they would have missed if they had refused to go!   But that’s not what is making me smile.  I am smiling because I just LOVE to read how my Savior is always right and what He says is as good as done even before it is done!  Is He AWESOME or what?!!

These Words mean so much to me.  I can only imagine how it was for them to hear and see You say it will be this way or that way when you get there and then go and there it is just as You said. They must have had so much fun with You.  It must have been so good to hear You laugh; to see You laugh; to see You sit the little ones on Your lap and see them just adore You; to see You tell stories; to see Your Face when You talked about ABBA.  It must have been so good.  Thank You that I won’t miss out on all that; that I will see You laugh; I will see the love and kindness on Your Face.  Thank You, Jesus.  And, Holy Spirit, I pray this Word will minister to our IDOKs and our Readers.  I pray we will all love You more; that we will become more intimately acquainted with You today.  And our IDOK Troops I don’t want to go a day without remembering them and asking for their protection and safety, so protect them, ABBA, please.  And You know how I feel about Israel, You know they are dear to me but oh so much more to You.  I trust them to You.  And I am trusting America to You too.  You are not finished with us yet; thank You.  Move us and shake us however You want.  You are the Potter and we are the clay.   I suppose I better say amen here so our IDOKs and Readers can say amen too and get to it – whatever You are sending or allowing their way today.  I pray we will act and react in ways that will bless You and give You pleasure. And yes I love You too.  And Jesus, I am looking forward to seeing You, come quickly.  Amen and amen.

Kathie

Honest (again)

IDOK DEVOTION FOR MONDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2010

Honest!

First, to each of you who came to the WOW Conference, thank you.  To each of you who prayed, wanting to be there but you could not, thank you.   As you can imagine, leaving here early Friday morning, conferencing Friday night and Saturday, coming home on Saturday afternoon (took a nap), Church on Sunday, and after service on Sunday night supper and to the couch for a silly movie with my beloved, I had not written a devotion for us for today.  So I came to ABBA and I wrote this to HIM: What shall I say to IDOK today?  They are waiting for a word from You through me.  Inspire me and write a Word of I love you to them today through me.  And with that I picked up my Breaking Free Day By Day, written by Beth Moore, of course, and for today found, in part, this: God’s Word is full of proclamations of His love for you.  He inscribed His love in His Word so you would never have to wait for a phone call. You can hear God tell you He loves you every single time you open His Word.

Sisters (and Brothers) I am not kidding, that’s what it says!  He hears, He loves, He cares and He has prepared this day for us long, long before we took our first breath from our mother’s wombs.  Oh how AWESOME He is!!  So this I know to say to us today: Jesus loves me this I know for the Bible tells me so.

Yes Jesus loves me

Yes Jesus loves me

Yes Jesus loves me

The Bible tells me so.

Yes, Jesus loves you

Yes Jesus loves you

Yes Jesus loves you

The Bible tells you so.

John 16:27 for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came forth from God.  [source]

There it is written in His Word, for the Father Himself loves you.  ABBA, loves you.  ABBA loves me.  All day long He is loving us, always and forever.  Let us carry this in our thoughts this day and far into the night even to the laying of our heads on our pillows, remember JESUS loves you. AND this morning, not only have we read it, He has interacted with us, He has actively, on purpose entered into our experience this very day to make  sure we know He is listening, He cares and He answers prayer!

YOU are so Awesome!  I don’t have words to say how wonderful You are.  I am delighted with You and I dare believe You are even delighted with me and not just me but every child of Yours that dares believe it too.  I am sitting here just absolutely enjoying You; enjoying how fun You are; how attentive You are; how You never sleep, You are always awake and ready for us.  I pray the praise will go on and on, all day.  Even when I get on with this day, with breakfast and making the bed and reading to little ones and on and on as the day comes, I pray I will not forget to commune with You through it all.  I pray none of our IDOKS or Readers will forget to commune with You all day and into the night, even up until the time we go to sleep.  And there You will be watching over us.  Oh, my mind cannot comprehend how huge and awesome You are.  Thank You for loving us. Thank You for speaking, Thank You for allowing us the greatest of all pleasures in the universe – knowing, being loved by You and loving You back. 

So, DADDY, we bring all these written here for prayer. We come in one accord to praise You for caring, to praise You for hearing and loving and to trust You to do what is right and holy and best for each of these.  For the quick answers we are delighted; for the ones that take awhile to manifest we thank You for the opportunity to know You in this experience and for the courage and faith to wait and see You work the miracles. For our IDOK Troops we pray again for their safety and protection, for them to be a peace in hostile places; for them to love You, for their faith to be strong and for them to make holy decisions that are good for them and their comrades.  And, ABBA, as I put this to press, I pray for our IDOKs and our Readers for each one as this comes to their screen and as they read and as they pray that they will KNOW You love them and that You are worthy of their trust and that You will not forsake them or leave them this day, or ever. That in You we are victors and not victims.  I love you.  And I know You love me too.  Thank You. Thank You.  Amen and amen in the Holy and Mighty Name of Jesus.  And LORD one more thing, thank You for being just so fun!

Kathie

Tight Spots (again)

IDOK DEVOTION FOR TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2010

Tight Spots

I am still in my 90 Days with Jesus, the One and Only, and up to Day 76 and in today’s session Beth asked me this question:  What do you think He would say to you when you’re in one of life’s tightest spots?  She asked me that because we were reading in Luke.  Luke 22:14-22 to be exact.  That is the portion of Scripture were Jesus told His Disciples in verse 15 that He with fervent desire desired to eat this Passover with them before He suffered.  There’s something special in that for me.  I don’t have words yet to explain but in my spirit something stirred when I read it.  I know this much I am more in love with Him for it and I want to be more like Him in that fervent desire to serve and commune with Him and my sisters and brothers.  But back to the question.  This is hours before the Garden of Gethsemane and being the GodMan, He had emotions going on within.  Love was one for sure and I think sorrow and grief too.  So all that being said what do you think He would say to you in your tightest spot?  Before you answer, read this:

Luke 22: (New King James Version)

14 When the hour had come, He sat down, and the twelve apostles with Him.
15 Then He said to them, “With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer;
16 for I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.”
17 Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves;
18 for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”
19 And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”
20 Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.
21 But behold, the hand of My betrayer is with Me on the table.
22 And truly the Son of Man goes as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed!”   [source]

This was my answer: I know! I know how you feel. I also know how this is going to turn out – trust Me.  Trust Me that I am with you and trust Me that I know how to help you through this. 

And if you are inclined and want to share … I’d be honored to hear what you think He would say to you. 

Again, You have so delighted me!  You make life here good, ABBA! Thank You. 

And now that much of the day has come and gone, prayer requests and reports have come it. Thank You.

ABBA, show Yourself Mighty on behalf of all that are spoken here; many heavy hearts, much pain and uncertainties, but You are the God of all comfort and the God who sees and heals and provides and knows best and who is always loving and kind, always right, always holy and always on time.  So we trust You.  Again, we pray for protection and safety for our IDOK Troops, and for their safe returns home.  We pray for Israel to be protected and for their enemies to be subdued.  We pray for mercy and grace for the American People.  We pray for those missionaries detained in Haiti, asking that You intervene, expose and reveal truth and bring about Your will for them.  I pray for each of our IDOKs and our Readers for rest and peace, refreshing sleep and a hunger and thirst for You that exceeds anything we have known to this day.   And all this I ask in the Mighty and Precious Name of Jesus. Amen and amen.

Kathie

Untitled (again)

IDOK DEVOTION FOR THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2010

A quote from Beth Moore from her booklet, The Promise of Security, page 51:

Believe that HE loves you and has you covered and takes every one of your hits as if they were aimed at His own skin.  Get down to the bottom of what frightens you, and then pitch it to Him like a hot potato.

Untitled

Well, y’all was wondering what Thursday’s IDOK would be as I realized how much of Wednesday morning had slipped on by. And as I was reading my ‘Our Daily Bread’ a certain statement hit me hard!  It comes from the pen of David McCasland directed by the Holy Spirit: When I study God’s Word, my first question should not be, “What am I going to say about this?” but “What am I going to do about this?”

How often I read the Word and immediately and excitedly start writing notes on how I can ‘teach’ that passage; how alive and wonderful and great and fun it is.  And I am not saying that is bad, but it could be.  It could be very bad indeed if that is all I do.  If I am not exercised by the verse; if I do not allow that verse to do Its work in me, I have missed the boat by a country mile!  Moreover, if I, if we, read Scripture, mark up our Bibles with many notes and then conduct ourselves no differently, we truly have deceived ourselves.  If we can read Scripture, have it quickened to our spirits and then go out and violate that very Scripture over and over and over again, then we are delusional if we say we have fellowship with God.

James 1:22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; 24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. 25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does. 26 If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless. 27 Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world. 

As Michelle McKinney Hammond counseled us over the weekend at the WOW Conference: “Honey, if you call yourself a Christian and you live like the world; Baby, change your name!”  (Of course, that is a paraphrase; but we get the meaning, don’t we?)

ABBA, I hear You.  Thank You and forgive me and change me.  I cannot, I must not continue to allow my first question to be how can I teach this.  I must first and every time say to You, DADDY, how do You want to change me with this?  I am inviting You again and anew to make me a doer of Your Word, not just a hearer of it and certainly not a teacher of it who does not first practice it herself.  I want You to allow me to teach, I want to share everything You will let me but first I want Your Word to first be tried and true in me. 

Thank You for this good day You have given us.  Thank You for the encouragement we have received.  LORD, we pray for You to touch them and heal each One brought here today – that they will give You their broken hearts and wounded spirits and weary bodies and receive Your grace and mercy.

We pray for safety and protection for our IDOK Troops; for safe returns home and while in hostile lands we pray they will learn to lean heavily upon and come to love You more and more.  We pray for the peace and prosperity of Israel.  Thank You for the people of America who are coming to their feet to stand for what is right; bring more and more to the fight for truth and holiness in America.  I pray for the President and his family that You will protect them and I pray they will yet repent and yield themselves to You in truth and holiness. 

And, ABBA, I pray now for all our IDOKs and our Readers, that they will sleep well, wake up rested and immediately begin to praise You and offer themselves to You as a living sacrifice.  Thank You for this ministry, keep us straight, LORD. Amen and amen.

Kathie