On The Go Daily with Keith Cook

Friday, January 14, 2011

The Life of a Mom by Joan Cook

On The Go Daily Devotion for January 14, 2011
Brought to you each day by
Keith Cook Evangelistic Association / On The Go

The Life of a Mom by Joan Cook

"Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies." Proverbs 31:10

Recently, I came across the following tribute to Mothers. To all the Moms who could use a little break and a cup of coffee, Enjoy!

If you give a Mom a muffin,
She'll want a cup of coffee to go with it.
She'll pour herself some.
The coffee will get spilled by her three year old.
She'll wipe it up.

Wiping the floor, she will find some dirty socks.
She'll remember she has to do some laundry.
When she puts the laundry in the washer,
She'll trip over some snow boots and bump into the freezer.
Bumping into the freezer will remind her she has to plan dinner for tonight.

She will get out a pound of hamburger.
She will look for her cookbook (101 things to make with hamburger)
The cookbook is sitting under a pile of mail.
She will see the phone bill which is due tomorrow.
She will look for her checkbook.

The checkbook is in her purse that is being dumped out by her two year old.
She'll smell something funny.
She'll change the two year old.
While she is changing the two year old the phone will ring.
Her five year old will answer it and hang up.

She remembers that she wants to phone a friend to come for coffee on Friday.
Thinking of coffee will remind her that she was going to have a cup.
She will pour herself some...
And chances are...
If she has a cup of coffee...
Her kids will have eaten the muffin that went with it.

Daily Prayer Focus: Praise God for Mothers. Pray for parents today as they strive to train up their children to walk in the ways of the Lord.

On The Go Prayer Focus: Pray for Keith Cook, David Brandon, Josh Neese, Ted Lyke, Buddy Walker, Jon Greer, and Josh Brewer as they minister in Haiti this week. Pray for continued travel mercies, physical strength and endurance, "Divine Appointments," opportunities to minister, decisions for Christ, and God's will to be done.

Thank you for taking the time to pray for this important division of On The Go Ministries. For more information on any our ministries here at On The Go, you may send your questions to info@onthego.org.

Copyright (c) 2003, 2011 Keith Cook - On The Go
Permission is granted to "forward" this devotional to friends and acquaintances. All other rights reserved.

On The Go Ministries, Keith Cook Team
P.O. Box 963, Springfield, TN 37172, (615) 299-0222, www.onthego.org
Founder/Director - Keith Cook, keithcook@onthego.org
E-zine Editor, Laurie McTier, laurie@onthego.org
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Thursday, January 13, 2011

Witnessing to Homeless, Street People, Disaster Stricken, and Addicts by Keith Cook

On The Go Daily Devotion for January 13, 2011
Brought to you each day by
Keith Cook Evangelistic Association / On The Go

Gain by Keith Cook

But godliness with contentment is great gain: 1 Timothy 6:6

What's in it for me?

What will I gain from this?

What do I get out of it?

Why would I want to do that?

I want to make all the money I can so I can do missions one day!

If only I did not have so much debt, I would do something great for God.

Do any of these statements sound familiar? These questions and rationalizations float in and out of our rational brains quite often. While it is not a sin to have questions - questions can lead to sin if our thoughts are not given over to Christ.

It is always costly to give of ones self and meet the needs of others. Missionaries down through the ages have sacrificed comforts, conveniences, cares, and criticism to do the work of the Lord. But it does not take a full time missionary to live the Christian life in power and purpose. You can gain in this life if you gain with God's standard of measure.

What is God's standard of Gain?

1. God measures greatness by character rather than commotion. Just doing something for God does not make one great. Being a man of God, man of prayer, and man of faith is judged not by outward activities but in the secret closet of ones intentions, heart's desires, and motives.

2. God gives favor and blessing based on His ultimate plan for mankind over heredity or status. You do not gain in God's sight because you are born wealthy or have been educated at Oxford. You see the favor of God because you have become His child and have a mission to do on His behalf.

3. God gives gain to those He can trust. Can God trust you with success? Can He trust you with wealth and fame? Many Christians enter into ministry for Christ full of dreams and visions and quickly start working for their glory and their self esteem. Let the Holy Spirit lead you as you handle the Holy Vessels of God. Your message and mission is His message and mission. It is to be all about Him and all for Him!

4. God gives gain to those who will give it away. "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose." - Jim Elliott. Now is the time for selfless living and selfless giving. God may ask you for your wealth. He may ask you for your life. He may only demand more of your time. But - he will find the areas of your life that are not totally His and begin to work on them. Commit to give God all your life. Hold back nothing. Whatever He asks of you respond - Here I am send me! Whatever sacrifice He requires respond - As Christ gave His life for me I give my life for you.

To gain with God may I offer the following to-do items:

1 Begin to develop character by being what you say you are.

2. Spend time with God in order to know His will for your life.

3. In prayer deal with unconfessed sin and areas of pride that can destroy your effectiveness and value to Christ.

4. Write down what you hear God telling you to do. Keep a record of all you plan or desire to do under His direction. Keep yourself accountable to God by remembering all you have promised.

Daily Prayer Focus: Pray that God will enable you to maintain a Godly focus so that you can continue to reach out effectively for Him.

On The Go Prayer Focus: Haiti Festival Team. Pray for our Festival Team members and counselors who will have the opportunity to share Christ with those who make an eternal decision to follow Jesus.

Copyright (c) 2006, 2011 Keith Cook - On The Go
Permission is granted to "forward" this devotional to friends and acquaintances. All other rights reserved.

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Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Witnessing to Homeless, Street People, Disaster Stricken, and Addicts by Keith Cook

On The Go Daily Devotion for January 12, 2011
Brought to you each day by
Keith Cook Evangelistic Association / On The Go

Witnessing to Homeless, Street People, Disaster Stricken, and Addicts by Keith Cook

"But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:" 1 Peter 3:15

On the afternoon of January 12, 2010 an earthquake registering 7.0 hit the nation of Haiti and over 200,000 people died as result. This nation has been hit with natural disasters, physical illness, political unrest, and financial decline. Since the earthquake, volunteers have been led to Haiti to help Haitians living in Tent Cities, without clean water, and facing multiple physical ailments find hope, medical assistance, and shelter.

Servants of Jesus Christ must be able to go to where the people are and they must arrive prepared to minister to people who find themselves in many unique and often difficult situations.

As you seek to be led by the Spirit, you will find yourself needing to arrive prepared to minister and comfort real people with real problems. Here are some simple suggestions for ministering to hurting people.

1. Be Alert - Pay attention to outward signs of neglect, abuse, need, problems.

2. Don't Play God - Don't run ahead of God, or try to fix all their problems in the flesh. Hear from God and follow His direction. Guard your heart and your emotions. Allow God to direct you, not your circumstances or emotions.

3. Focus On First Things First - Focus on one physical need and one spiritual need at a time.

4. Get Real Help - Don't get in over your head. It is not a sin to use professionals and agencies that will provide total ministry.

5. Do not judge- Make sure that you do not judge them or on the other hand condone any of their past actions or problems. Speak a word about Jesus or meet a need.

6. Make Sure You Minister - If God has placed you in this situation you are there to minister to them. Be bold and sensitive at the same time.

7. Be Realistic - Expect difficulties. Expect abuse, confrontations, questions, misjudging your motives, and don't be surprised, if they even seem suspicious.

8. Be Spiritually Prepared - Know what you believe and what the Bible has to say about sin, love, forgiveness, addictions, hope, recovery, reconciliation, and the consequences of sin.

9. Be Smart - If you are sharing with a church group or outreach team remember to stay close to your group, and in any kind of helping hand or spiritual counseling situation, do not allow yourself to get alone with strangers or in a dangerous situation.

10. It's A God Thing - Expect God to show up and do a work in the person's life-physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

Daily Prayer Focus: Pray that you will be prepared to minister to people as they experience unique and difficult situations.

On The Go Prayer Focus: Haiti Celebration Service Port-au-Prince, Haiti today as they commemorate the One Year Anniversary of the 2010 Earthquake. Pray with us that this will be a time of Encouragement, Strength, Rebuilding, Renewal, and Hope throughout the Country. Pray for Haitians today that as the Gospel Message is shared, their hearts which have been broken over the past year, will be drawn to Christ as He Alone becomes their Lord and Savior!

Copyright (c) 2004, 2011 Keith Cook - On The Go
Permission is granted to "forward" this devotional to friends and acquaintances. All other rights reserved.

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Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Don't Rob God by Laurie McTier

On The Go Daily Devotion for January 11, 2011
Brought to you each day by
Keith Cook Evangelistic Association / On The Go

Don't Rob God by Laurie McTier

"Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it." Malachi 3:10 (KJV)

The beginning of each New Year gives us an opportunity to reflect on the past and make projections and goals that we would like to see achieved within the next 365 days. As I sat down and made my own New Year's resolutions, God brought something to my attention. How many times do I withhold my talents and gifts, tithes, and sometimes even my own schedule from God.

The time I had set aside to make goals now became a time of confession and renewal as I realized I had robbed God of things that belonged to him. As I had my quiet time this afternoon, I made a new commitment to be available to God, and not to rob Him by withholding things from Him.

This year, God wants to bless you. He wants to guide every step and every decision that you make. He wants to use you to make an impact for His Kingdom and His Glory. If we withhold things from Him, He can not pour out His blessings and power in our life as He desires to. If we hold back, we are limiting God.

You may be thinking, "I would never rob God." The truth is, each of us have been guilty and when we are, we probably don't even realize we are doing it.

"Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings." Malachi 3:18

God deserves our first fruit. As we give to God, He will in return bless us more abundantly. I think that each of us could stand to take Malachi 3:10 and accept it as a challenge for this new year. Bring God everything you have. Entrust Him with the things that are most precious to you, and as you yield them to God for His service, He will pour out a blessing, much more than we could ever imagine.

Daily Prayer Focus: Lord, help me today to entrust you with everything. I yield all that I have to you.

On The Go Prayer Focus: Haiti Festival Team January 8-16, 2011. Pray for Keith Cook and David Brandon as they travel to Haiti today and prepare for our Celebration Service on Wednesday, January 12, 2011 in Port-au-Prince. Pray for the team as they travel throughout Port-au-Prince, Les Cayes, and Petionville.

Copyright (c) 2003, 2011 Keith Cook - On The Go
Permission is granted to "forward" this devotional to friends and acquaintances. All other rights reserved.

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Monday, January 10, 2011

Cruise Directors, Parents, and God by Keith Cook

On The Go Daily Devotion for January 10, 2011
Brought to you each day by
Keith Cook Evangelistic Association / On The Go

Cruise Directors, Parents, and God by Keith Cook

"And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest." Exodus 33:14

Recently several couples and our friends joined my wife and I on a spectacular cruise around the Caribbean Islands. It was such a joy to relax and rest with good Christian friends.

We did not have to worry about anything. Joan could lounge by the pool onboard soaking up sun rays and I could work out in the health spa trying to work off the many calories I was ingesting each day by being able to eat as often and as much as I wanted.

The cruise director had games planned for each hour. There were special theme meals and nights, parades on board, concerts by famous musician and comedians, as well as fun shore excursions.

I loved having everything paid for in advance and not having to think about anything. It sort of reminded me of my childhood. No worries, no stress, no pressure. Everything was taken care of by my parents. Parents and cruise directors have almost the same task. They both want you to be happy, have fun, be safe, and get the most out of each day.

Your personal relationship with Jesus Christ should almost be the same way. He too wants you to be happy, have fun, be safe, and get the most out of each day. Why not follow His direction today and everyday. He wants to lead you and protect you. He also wants to challenge and inspire you in your walk with Him.

Take a cruise on the Gospel Ship and let Jesus be your guide!

Daily Prayer Focus: Lord help me today to rest in You. Help me to take time to be still and know that You are God.

Also, pray for On The Go's Haiti Festival Team as they prepare for the Haiti Festival January 12-16, 2011. Pray that God will continue to raise up godly men and women to reach their nation for Christ. Pray for Josh Neese today as he continues to hold strategic planning meetings in Haiti.

Copyright (c) 2003, 2011 Keith Cook - On The Go
Permission is granted to "forward" this devotional to friends and acquaintances. All other rights reserved.

After registering online you will receive an e-mail asking you to confirm your subscription request, and you simply reply to that e-mail. Thank you and God bless.

Sunday, January 9, 2011

Jellyfish by Keith Cook

On The Go Daily Devotion for January 9, 2011
Brought to you each day by
Keith Cook Evangelistic Association / On The Go

Jellyfish by Keith Cook

"Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil." 1 Thessalonians 5:21, 22

One night while sitting in my room onboard a cruise ship, one of my friends called me and with an excited voice said, "Go quick to your balcony and look out at the ocean. There are jellyfish everywhere!"

So I quickly ran to the door, and rushed out onto the balcony and peered over into the vast ocean below. I was riding on the largest cruise ship in the world so I had to look close to actually see the creatures in the ocean. But sure enough there were thousands of them. Every ripple made by our ship stirred up hundreds in our wake. It was fascinating to see so many of them. They looked so beautiful and peaceful.

Just looking at these sea creatures from above the water poses no threat, but as I was standing there my body shivered at the thought of falling in and being caught in the middle of such dangerous creatures. I have been stung by jellyfish while swimming in the ocean and their sting can really hurt.

Many of the things of this world look harmless from a distance and their beauty often attracts many to dive in and participate. But once the leap has been made the sting of the habit or the consequences of the action hits hard.

Be ware of the dangers of life. Look carefully before leaping into unknown situations.

Daily Prayer Focus: Pray that God will protect you from the dangers of the deep and the stings of sin.

On The Go Prayer Focus: Josh Neese will be ministering in Haiti January 9-10 meeting with pastors, church leaders, and community leaders in preparation for our Haiti Celebration Service and Festivals . Pray for Divine Appointments and Open Doors as Josh holds strategic planning meetings onsite.

Copyright (c) 2003, 2011 Keith Cook - On The Go
Permission is granted to "forward" this devotional to friends and acquaintances. All other rights reserved.

Subscribing - If you're reading a pass-along copy of this
"On The Go" devotional e-zine and want to receive your own
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After registering online you will receive an e-mail asking you to confirm your subscription request, and you simply reply to that e-mail. Thank you and God bless.

Saturday, January 8, 2011

Stingray City by Keith Cook

On The Go Daily Devotion for January 8, 2011
Brought to you each day by
Keith Cook Evangelistic Association / On The Go

Stingray City by Keith Cook

"Beware of the Devil" "He sneaks around...looking for those he can devour." I Peter 5:8

Recently I was in the Grand Caymans scuba diving in just 12 feet of water. I am use to diving down to 100 feet and beyond, so the dive should have been safe and worry free.

The setting was beautiful. I knew the dive was going to be very exciting because I was with 39 of my friends and we were going to be surrounded by stingrays. Stingrays are wonderful sea creatures. While they have a fierce reputation, experienced divers can navigate quite safely underwater with them.

On the dive boat just before the dive the Dive Master gave us detailed instructions about diving with the stingrays. He said, "Be careful when feeding them." "Feed the rays but watch for smaller fish that may come in and try to steal the food."

When I finally could jump in the water I landed on top of a 10 foot Eel. I quickly said hello and put as much distance between it and myself as possible.

Once I was on the bottom of the ocean I was able to feed the stingrays. I was so excited. They were all around me. I was caught up in the moment. There was one stingray feeding out of my hand, one gliding under my feet and one at each side of me. It was scuba diving heaven.

Then out of nowhere a small Snapper Fish swam in and stole the food I had for the stingrays. It happened so fast. I was amazed. The fish actually bit my hand in order to get me to drop the bait and then snapped up the food.

In a spiritual sense this is just like the Devil, who hits us hard in one area of our lives in order to get us to drop our guard and then he sneaks into another area of our lives almost unnoticed. He then waits and looks for another opportunity to rob us of our joy or steal a blessing from us.

Daily Prayer Focus: Put on the Armor of God and pray that you will be aware of Satan's tricks. Pray that you will stand firmly in Christ.

On The Go Prayer Focus: Pray for the On The Go Team as they minister in Haiti from January 8-16, 2011. Pray for travel mercies for our team as they today and Tuesday, physical strength and endurance, "Divine Appointments," opportunities to minister, decisions for Christ, and God's will to be done.

Copyright (c) 2003, 2011 Keith Cook - On The Go
Permission is granted to "forward" this devotional to friends and acquaintances. All other rights reserved.

Subscribing - If you're reading a pass-along copy of this
"On The Go" devotional e-zine and want to receive your own
subscription, free of charge, simply fill out the online form at
http://onthego.org/ezine_newsletters.php .

After registering online you will receive an e-mail asking you to confirm your subscription request, and you simply reply to that e-mail. Thank you and God bless.