Daily Devotions

Archive for August, 2021

God’s Kingdom in Evidence

Kathy — As I searched the scriptures, I found the Kingdom of God (or Kingdom of Heaven) could refer to three things: 1) The place where God dwells and reigns eternally, 2) God’s AUTHORITY & POWER ruling on earth, and 3) the company of people who have submitted their lives to God’s authority, both now and eternally.  Jesus preached and emphasized the second aspect, God’s AUTHORITY and POWER ruling on earth.  That is why He said to some as He healed them, “The Kingdom has come upon you.”  The Kingdom of God is in evidence wherever God’s AUTHORITY and POWER are manifested on earth.
(Kathy will be speaking at the 2021 DREAMS VISIONS PROPHECY Conference which is Sept.10-12;  Location: Grace Church in Willis, TX just north of Houston off I-45 * 936-856-2455; No Fee to attend.)


Don’t Ignore the Prophetic

Melissa — “The hearing ear and the seeing eye, the Lord hath made both of them.” (Prov.20:12)  We are all capable of living a prophetic lifestyle without being a Prophet.  Sometimes we train ourselves to ignore the Prophetic Lifestyle because we don’t want to be weird. This really is an epic life we are meant to live. Don’t ignore it. This life is meant to be epic! — (Melissa Gabler is speaking on “The Prophetic Lifestyle” Sept.11 at the DREAMS VISIONS PROPHECY CONFERENCE 2021 at Grace Church Willis. All info is at martygabler.com/dvp/)


Endued Beyond Limitations

As the people of God assemble today may they realize that the potential that is in them is not merely human capacities but the impartation of Jehovah’s enablements, His compassion and His purposes. We are endued with gifts and abilities that are able to redemptively work beyond human limitations. Eph.3:20,TPT—“Never doubt God’s mighty power to work in you and accomplish all this. He will achieve infinitely more than your greatest request, your most unbelievable dream, and exceed your wildest imagination! He will outdo them all, for his miraculous power constantly energizes you.”


Safety of Our Children

We are concerned for our children today, Heavenly Father. We pray that, where earthly fathers have failed, You reach out Your protecting Hand and speak with Your guiding Voice to the children and Youth of our nation. We pray that Your Presence would be known on our school campuses through the believers that are on site and that Your Holy Spirit would strengthen and give wisdom to the teachers and school officials for the appropriate education and safety of our children.


Snake on a Stick

Kathy — We need an Awakening as badly as Judah did in 2Kings 17. They had forgotten their God. They had forsaken their one true God and even closed the door to the temple and nailed it shut. In the next chapter, 2Kings 18, Hezekiah became king of Judah and Awakening began. Hezekiah was AWARE they needed God and He took action to begin sanctifying the nation. He destroyed the local shrines, tore down the images of foreign gods, cut down the sacred pole for worshiping the goddess of sex and fertility and he also smashed the bronze snake Moses had made in the wilderness. Remember when fiery serpents were biting and killing them in the camp? God told Moses to put a brass serpent on a pole so people could see it and be healed. That was a one-time obedience that led to the intervention of God for their nation. Keeping that pole as a testimony from history to teach their children about God was understandable, but sticking that pole among the idols they were worshiping and making sacrifices to, dishonored both God and the acts of God in their behalf. That generation had to have cooked the books (unethically change the meaning) of their own history to justify worshiping a SNAKE on a STICK. Let’s bring that home to our present darkness. How much have crooked people and entities cooked the books in this present time and distorted the Rule of Law and guidelines as they deliberately try to change our history. They fully intend to redefine who we are and distort the God-purpose and destiny within us. We need an Awakening to stop the madness in both the Church and the Nation! We need to follow Hezekiah’s lead in such a time as this! He made the God-changes that were in his reach! He could reach their idols and he tore them down . . . and it PLEASED God! Of course, it didn’t necessarily please everybody else because Awakening always upsets the norms.


Hidden Things Exposed

Melissa — This is Awakening: Part 278 because I have mentioned awakening a lot lately. I can’t get away from it. I have noticed that awakening, for the most part, is presented as an event but I believe we have been in “The 3rd Great Awakening” for some years now. Think about it, we have seen almost unbelievable evil surfacing everywhere and it’s because hidden things are being exposed! This is seriously ancient evil crawling to the surface but awakening is causing us to see it. Awakening is two sided: God’s glory manifesting and evil being exposed and annihilated. It can’t be a one time event because it’s way too massive for us to be able to endure all at once!
(DREAMS VISIONS PROPHECY 2021 is Sept.10-12 at Grace Church Willis,TX  gracewillis.org)


Don’t Forget, God is at Work

  What we need more than better politicians is an awakening (at least) move of God… in the Church, then the nation. God will never share, with mere political parties, the power He has designed to be exercised through the Church. In “God and Politics” Dennis Lindsey says, “Politicians are not to be looked to for complete social reform… The Church has been losing influence in America because it has been relying on politics to stop the moral and spiritual decay in society. Politics will not catalyze the change; it is simply a reflection of the environment. If the environment is rooted in Christian values, the politics of America will be rooted in Christian values… The spiritual revival and renewal of Christian faith needed in America will never originate from Washington. Once the spiritual climate changes, Washington will be changed. If the American Church thinks her salvation […] comes from Washington and a God-fearing president, then her hope is rooted in a counterfeit… God’s Church is not dependent on elections; it is dependent upon His Word, which declares, ‘… I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.’” (Matt 16:18)1 If we are not careful, we can just get to looking around and saying, “‘Such and such’ is what’s going on” and forget that God is at work.
DREAMS VISIONS PROPHECY 2021 is Sept.10-12.


The “Our Father” Position

Kathy — Our Father . . . The first emphasis in Jesus’ instruction was to start prayer from the “Our Father” position of a son to his father.  This places priority on relationship rather than protocol and on heritage rather than hierarchy.  Relationship assures us we can be confident of acceptance when we approach Him personally, face to face.  Lack of relationship (1) leaves us unsure and at a distance, (2) a questionable guest in the throne room or (3) a needy outsider having to beg.  Coming face to face is about knowing our Father well enough to see as He sees.  If we don’t come face to face, we position ourselves on the peripheral where we are susceptible prey for misbeliefs  about God.  When men are too far away to really know Him as a son, they are more apt to lean to their own understanding and create images from their own imagination and experience, like the ancient Greeks did.  The gods they created had so many human flaws that their supernatural powers over men were distorted to extremes by emotion and whim. If misbelief misrepresents God, it corrupts the potential and purpose of relationship and the motivation of the heart. Then there is no sonship and no “Our Father” entrance into the dimension of prayer Jesus taught.
(DREAMS VISIONS PROPHECY 2021  Sept.10-12)


Born to Trust

Melissa—Trust keeps the door open to dwell in His presence.  We stay around those we trust.  Ps.84:11 “For the Lord God is a sun and shield; The Lord bestows grace and favor and honor; No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly.” Trust is the gateway to God’s intentions for us, equipping, protection, grace, favor and all good things.  It makes sense that the summation of this Psalm is, “O Lord of hosts, How blessed and greatly favored is the man who trusts in You.” On top of being born to trust, these are compelling reasons to do so.
(MELISSA will be leading us in a Worship Encounter and speaking at DREAMS VISIONS PROPHECY <> September 10-12, 2021. All information for DVP2021 is at martygabler .com.)


Being Enlarged

As the people of God assemble today may the people of God yield to the Kingdom purposes of their Lord in this new era He is leading us into. May we yield to the adjustments and updates in our spiritual vision so that it may be broadened and more aware. May all hindrances and opposition be readily realized as challenges to overcome so that we may win the race. We declare that our present limitations are only present and not the future because we are being enlarged. Isa.54:2,TPT—““Increase is coming, so enlarge your tent and add extensions to your dwelling. Hold nothing back! Make the tent ropes longer and the pegs stronger.”


Limited Horizons

The people of God are His instruments that He is recalibrating to function effectively in a new era. When you have a rifle calibrated to hit a bull’s eye at 100 yards, you must recalibrate it if you are to enter an era of hunting at 200 yards. Entering this era, we will not wait until something happens to merely react, we shall see it at a distance and prepare. We have greater challenges ahead of us in the era that Holy Spirit has opened to us. We must lengthen our tent cords and stretch our curtains (Isa.54:2). Our satisfaction with the present view of limited horizons must give way to be broadened.


A Broader Concept of Prayer

KG_Looking upKathy Gabler — While the most common understanding of prayer is an appeal or petition, I think The Lord’s Prayer illustrates a broader concept of prayer.  I see it as a prayer of alignment with God’s Word and will and character, or a declaration of agreement with God’s order and principles and intent.  If I viewed The Lord’s Prayer only as a petition, it would seem to be a formal format of how to properly ask for basic necessities.   While there is nothing wrong with that, I think there is more life in it and more relationship demonstrated in His model prayer.  This prayer takes on more dimension when it comes from a motive and priority to pray as sons/daughters who know and reflect their Father.


Blessing, Favor and Trust

MSG6-15-14Melissa — Blessing and favor follow those who trust.  Ps.84:6 “Passing through the Valley of Weeping (Baca), they make it a place of springs; The early rain also covers it with blessings.” Trust gets us through hard times so that we don’t make it our dwelling, and trust makes the hard times fruitful for not only us, but others.  Trust is not a selfish act.  Vs. 7 “They go from strength to strength [increasing in victorious power]; Each of them appears before God in Zion.”  Well, that’s a mouth full! Trust causes strength, and it removes the clouds of doubt so that we can see God.  Vs. 10 “For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand [anywhere else]; I would rather stand [as a doorkeeper] at the threshold of the house of my God than to live [at ease] in the tents of wickedness.”
/////////  MELISSA will be leading worship and speaking at DREAMS VISIONS PROPHECY 2021

//////////////////  September 10-12 at Grace Church Willis,TX.  gracewillis.org


Two Will Set 10,000 to Flight

An essential principle of God is that “two are better than one” (Eccl.4:9). In the remainder of 2021 and right into 2022, there will be places scattered across nations where people of God will partner for effect. One shall set a 1000 to flight but two shall set 10,000 to flight. “If two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it shall be done for them…” (Matt.18:19). God is going to use small groups to defeat mighty opposition. We will commit to defeat together what we cannot overcome alone. It’s God’s Word.  (martygabler.com)


Communicating With the Father

Kathy—As we read Matthew 6 and Luke 10, we find Jesus teaching the disciples to pray.  The verses leading up to the actual prayer reveal firstly what prayer is not.  Prayer is not practicing your righteousness before men.  Prayer is not using surplus words trying to cover your bases.  Prayer is not from any motive that would manipulate God or man.  Then, Jesus gives directions to His disciples on how to communicate with the Father.  His instruction becomes a model for us known as “The Lord’s Prayer”.
(Kathy will be talking about “Our Ear to Hear” at DREAMS VISIONS PROPHECY Conference Sept.10-12 at Grace Church Willis,TX (gracewillis.org). No Fee to attend.)


Trust and Life

Melissa — Trust is a principle of the Kingdom.  God knew what He was doing when He created it.  It’s life-bearing, abundant-life-bearing. How beautiful it is that the principles of God are set in place to provide the John 10:10 abundant life for all who live them.  He gave us a map for life.  Check this out, Psalm 84:12 (AMP) “O Lord of hosts, How blessed and greatly favored is the man who trusts in You [believing in You, relying on You, and committing himself to You with confident hope and expectation].” Yes, that is beautiful.  But check out the rest of Psalm 84. It literally lines out what a life looks like that trusts God. Vs. 4 “Blessed and greatly favored are those who dwell in Your house and Your presence; They will be singing Your praises all the day long. Selah.”


An Active Work of God in You

As the people of God assemble today may they allow Holy Spirit to minister to them the reality of the fact that there is an active work of God going on in them. May they declare that inward truth is undeniable even in the face of all that is contrary in the present culture, in the face of present fear-mongering and the proliferation of non-biblical belief systems.  Phil.1:6,Msg—“There has never been the slightest doubt in my mind that the God who started this great work in you would keep at it and bring it to a flourishing finish on the very day Christ Jesus appears.”


The Lord Will Accomplish What Concerns You

Though you walk in the midst of trouble, may the Lord revive you; May He stretch forth His hand against the wrath of your enemies, And may His right hand save you. The Lord will accomplish what concerns you. [***Declare out loud that the Lord will accomplish what concerns you***] Your lovingkindness, O Lord, is everlasting; Do not forsake the works of Your hands. [***Declare out loud that the Lord will not forsake the works of His hands***] (Taken from Ps 138:7-8) 


Untethered

Kathy — Forgiveness untethers us so our lives do not revolve around our conflicts.


Diligence or Trust?

Melissa — Some of us have confused trust with diligence.  By “diligence” I mean we handle, fixate on, and stay worried about a problem until it’s fixed.  That is nowhere in the definition of trust.  It’s not only the opposite of trust, but it is seething with dysfunction and disease.  A lack of trust is one of our worst enemies.  We might be blaming things on the devil that are really a lack of trust in our own lives.  I’m sure the devil doesn’t mind when we blame him for such things because it makes his job easier.


Which Aggressor?

In Lk 10:18 satan is thrown down from heaven. Demons quake in fear in Mk 1:24 and beg to be left alone when confronted by Jesus. It is contrary to the theme of the Kingdom of God in the experience of Jesus and his disciples as actually experiencing violence at the hands of spirits. God is the Aggressor and evil is on the retreat. I think that maybe we should keep all this in mind as we go to intercession and declarations over our families, churches and nation.


Father’s Plan not Voided

Kathy Gabler — Having  a damaged self-image, a shattered self-worth or a failed self-government, does not void our Father’s love or intent, nor His good plans for us!  If we learn to think in our hearts like that, that truth will free us up to walk in destiny and keep us from giving up before we become all God had in mind that we were born to be.  Father, may my life glorify you to the fullest extent.  Let me see me as You see me.  Cause me to value as You value.  Grace me to live honoring Your boundaries for my life.  May I live in the truth and may it be not only my freedom, but also my legacy.


Trust

Melissa — As of late my meditation topic has been Trust.  You know: “reliance on the integrity, strength, ability, surety, etc., of a person or thing; confidence.” It should be a natural byproduct of being a believer. I thought so until God asked me if I trusted Him.  Of course… wait, do I?! That’s an answer I thought was sure at this point in my life.  The amazing thing is in that moment, trust made sense for the first time.  All of a sudden there was a relief in my core that I’m not sure I have ever felt.  Without Him saying a word, there was an understanding that actually trusting God meant to actually let go of needing to know the process of getting to an answer. 

(An excerpt from one of Melissa’s messages at a past DVP ; MELISSA will be leading us in a Worship Encounter and speaking at DREAMS VISIONS PROPHECY <> September 10-12, 2021.) All information for DVP2021 is at martygabler.com/dvp/.)


Run the Race Worth Running

As the people of God assemble today let us pray that, in coming days, they shun the distractions of culture and the lies of the evil one and “strip off every unnecessary weight and those sins that easily and cleverly entangle us, so that we can persistently run the race” that is worth running. The great cloud of witnesses surround us and our Great Intercessor is at the right hand of God on high praying for our victory! (Heb.12:11)