Daily Devotions

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Next Stage, Next Phase

In speaking of Getting Ready for the Next Level it would behoove us to consider some basic meaning in that title. NEXT LEVEL: next step, next move, following step, what follows, next on the list, next stage, next phase, what comes next, follow-up, further action, future action, next in order. Getting Ready: Faith, stepping out, moving toward (not satisfied with status quo, with where we are, with just letting things bump along as is), not the same old attitude; not staying in the same rut. Ex.14:13-16,Amp—“Moses told the people, Fear not; stand still (firm, confident, undismayed) and see the salvation of the Lord which He will work for you today. For the Egyptians you have seen today you shall never see again. 14 The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace and remain at rest. 15 The Lord said to Moses, Why do you cry to Me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward!”  The time is ripe for going forward to the next level, to that which beckons us onward to victory.

Shedding of Cycles

MELISSA—In giving some thought to 2023, we might do well to think about the intense nature of the end of this year not being a foretelling of hardship to come in 2024, but rather the shedding of the things that have kept us bound to cycles of failure.

Upheaval of Norms

KATHY—Judah was upset as their idolatrous and corrupt lifestyle was shattered, but they faced an even greater threat from another direction at the same time. A cunning enemy, an Assyrian Commander who fully intended to take them captive, used their upheaval of norms as the moment to undermine their confidence in their king Hezekiah and more importantly, their God!  He taunted them saying, “You obviously have no hope of divine help!” And they couldn’t argue with that since King Hezekiah had already cleared out their collection of gods, proving all their gods were powerless and disposable (2Kings 18)! Sennacherib reminded them that the Assyrians had taken over country after country and none of their gods had done them any good.  Added to that, any hope they might have had of Jehovah God’s help took a nose dive with the fall of the “SNAKE on a STICK!” Judah was shaking in their boots. Taking advantage of that moment, the crafty Assyrian put them to the question: What justifies your confidence that you can beat us?  

Compassionate Prayer

Picking up Prayers

In coming days (and in the coming year) we will be allowing Holy Spirit to stir our memory, our compassion, our passion, our stewardship. The stirring of Holy Spirit will challenge us and direct us to pick up prayers from the past that we have laid down and no longer pray. The various reasons, the discouragements and impatience that have caused us to just lay them down will begin to fade like the morning mist and we will again sense the burden/urgency, love and compassion we once did. 1Thess.5:17—“pray without ceasing”. 1Pe.3:12,TPT—“For the eyes of the Lord Yahweh rest upon the godly, and his heart responds to their prayers. But he turns his back on those who practice evil.” Acts 17:16, KJV—“Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry.”

Exciting Time

MELISSA — It really is an exciting time, even though it may not look like it, because we have entered a new era. Let’s look a little closer at what this means.  Merriam Webster defines “era” as: “a memorable or important date or event, especially one that begins a new period in the history of a person or thing, a stage in development.”  When I read this definition, that last part jumped off the screen, “a stage in development”.  So, I looked up “development“: “1. An unfolding; the discovering of something secret or withheld from the knowledge of others; 2. The unraveling of a plot.” Oh my! We have been in the midst of an “unraveling plot” our entire lives! I am basing the time span of the past era on the life of Dr. Billy Graham.  There were several words out there that the death of Dr. Graham would mark significant change, and that is when I knew we were truly in a new era.  So, for most of us we have been in this “stage of development” all of our lives.  God has been developing the Kingdom here on earth throughout the past era and we are about to see what He has been doing.

Weapons of Accusation

Kathy Gabler—Weapons of accusation hit when we are addressing basic needs like the need to be loved, affirmation or security. I pray God stir us up to stop forfeiting destiny because of legal technicalities. We must get out of the witness stand and step down from the judge’s bench. Instead, let’s go to the Real Judge’s chambers and crawl up into His lap and trust His love to bring us to His Righteousness and Grace.(1Co4:4)

Forget None of His Benefits

This is the day the Lord has made so…. I will bless the Lord and forget none of all His benefits—One of them being: He has forgiven all my iniquities.  Ps.103:3a “Who forgives [every one of] all your iniquities,”

This Life is Meant to be Epic

MELISSA— It’s our time to be who God intended us to be.  First things first, however. Let me clarify.  A prophetic lifestyle does not mean you have to be a prophet. The office of prophet is designated by God and recognized by the 5 fold ministry.  We are all capable of living a prophetic lifestyle without being a prophet. This really is an epic life we are meant to live. Don’t ignore it. This life is meant to be epic!

Legalism and Condemnation

Kathy Gabler—Accusation and condemnation flooded into man’s thinking in such abundance that the devil and people rarely have to lift an accusing finger at us. We have such intricate lists of what is good and what is evil, that we accuse and condemn ourselves without even looking for a lawyer. The problem with this legalistic lifestyle is that we assume our shortcomings are more powerful than the Christ that lives in us. 1Jn.3:19-20,Amp—“By this we will know [without any doubt] that we are of the truth, and will assure our heart and quiet our conscience before Him 20 whenever our heart convicts us [in guilt]; for God is greater than our heart and He knows all things [nothing is hidden from Him because we are in His hands].”