Daily Devotions

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Discernment is Seeing a Difference

KATHY—I knew an older gentleman who was called to be an intercessor and that calling was confirmed through a prophetic word.  He had not recognized the calling, nor could he receive the word, because of his definition of an intercessor.  His belief was that an intercessor was a person who prayed for many hours every day.  His experience indicated that was neither his lifestyle nor his desire; so, he could not believe he could ever be an intercessor.   After a conversation with a discerning friend, he discovered intercession is not bound to one particular lifestyle and he opened his heart to the call of God.  His misunderstanding had been keeping him from fulfillment and effectual purpose for years.  Discernment is about seeing a difference that will make a difference.  Discernment turns the light on so we can take action and make adjustments. Ps.119:130,Amp—“The entrance and unfolding of Your words give light; their unfolding gives understanding (discernment and comprehension) to the simple.”

Dreaming of Dreams Fulfilled

As the people of God assemble today may they dream while they are wide awake. May they dream of answered prayer, of facilitated, fulfilled life-dreams and fulfilled hopes and expectancies for their family members and their brothers and sisters in Christ. Eph.1:11-12,Amp—“In Him we also were made [God’s] heritage (portion) and we obtained an inheritance; for we had been foreordained (chosen and appointed beforehand) in accordance with His purpose, Who works out everything in agreement with the counsel and design of His [own] will, 12 So that we who first hoped in Christ [who first put our confidence in Him have been destined and appointed to] live for the praise of His glory!”

Do I Trust God?

(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.” (dictionary com)  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.  (MELISSA will be hosting, leading worship and speaking at Kingdom Congress March 1-3, 2023)

Finding Security

KATHY—Does God ever send us a word that conflicts with our personal beliefs?  Yes.  It’s not that God is out to upset our apple cart.  It is that He loves us too much to let us continue finding security in our beliefs that are tainted by error, warped by experience or hindered by misunderstanding.  These things will leave us at dead ends, frustrated and unfulfilled at some point in our destiny, and He loves us too much to simply allow that.  Prov.3:26,NLT—“for the Lord is your security. He will keep your foot from being caught in a trap.”

What You Dwell on Determines Your Hope

If we tend to look back and find ourselves distressed over expectancies and hopes that did not come to pass in our lives in the past year or we begin to consider what seem to be impossible/inevitable challenges of the future, why don’t we not dwell there but begin to make declarations like: I will not allow any person nor any adverse circumstance to determine the lifespan of the hope God originally put in me. 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 Never-Ending Warranty

MELISSA—God simply does not produce junk. He didn’t create humanity with only “one shot” to make it a good life, so “you better not mess up” or get sick in the process or “your life is over”. In fact, God Himself created the original warranty when Jesus took those stripes on His back (Isa. 53:5 &1Pe. 2:24). Yeah, that’s right, we have a never ending warranty on us, signed in blood. This warranty includes, “…all things that pertain unto life and godliness” (2Pe. 1:3). We have in us what we need right now, at this moment in time, for ourselves AND for our nation. Dare I even say, for the world. We have it because we have a relationship with Jesus Christ which opens us up to be a floodgate of Heaven on earth. It’s only through relationship that we gain understanding of the covenant. It’s our relationship with the King of Kings that sharpens and broadens our vision to see the treasures and promises in His covenant.

Dreams and Warnings

KATHY—A warning from God in a dream may sober you, but it will not threaten or condemn you.  The point of a God-warning is to be wise and take action.  Dreams that come as a threat are not His nature.  Threats come from fear, our own or someone else’s. Since God is never afraid, He won’t cause you to panic. He won’t send dreams or visions to intimidate because He can’t be threatened.  He won’t send them to shame or condemn because He can’t be manipulated or moved to action with guilt.  His dreams and visions will reflect His nature.