Daily Devotions

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Dramatically Desperate

Kathy—Days of Elijah are days when lovers of darkness are dramatically desperate! 1Ki 18:28 “And they called with a loud voice, and cut themselves, according to their way, with swords and with spears until blood gushed out on them. 1Ki 18:29  And it happened as noon passed by, that they prophesied madly until the offering up of the offering; and no sound came, and no one was answering, and no one was paying attention.”  Well, so be it in our day.  

People Looking for an Urgent Care Center

An Urgent Care Center is always placed in an easily accessible location. You see them as you come and go but don’t particularly notice them until… you need one. Then, that is the one you run to. Someone somewhere has noticed you and there will be desperate times this year when people will run to an “urgent care” that doesn’t just help people with cuts and broken bones, but knows how to pray and trust God. People will suddenly come out of nowhere needing the intervention of God.  People will walk up to you or call/text/email you from across the nation, from your past. Dietrich Bonhoeffer —We must learn to regard people less in the light of what they do or omit to do, and more in the light of what they suffer.”   They will open up about issues they have kept to themselves, issues that have defeated them time and again. They will even come to you with desperate physical needs. You will discover that you are the new urgent care and that you are well prepared as you are equipped by the Word of God and Holy Spirit.   Eph.4:32,Amp—“Be kind and helpful to one another, tender-hearted [compassionate, understanding]…” Matt.14:13-14,Msg—“When Jesus got the news, he slipped away by boat to an out-of-the-way place by himself. But unsuccessfully—someone saw him and the word got around. Soon a lot of people from the nearby villages walked around the lake to where he was. When he saw them coming, he was overcome with pity and healed their sick.” 

Well, That Backfired!

Melissa—I was having a discussion with a friend the other day about seeing demonic things and how it’s so unnerving.  We were discussing how to deal with it and basically how to prepare for the next time it happens.  As we are talking this out I start to realize something.  I grew up seeing things like this, and I grew up hearing about others in the church dealing with these things.  There has been more talk throughout my life of dark encounters than of encounters with the Kingdom realm.  I realize part of that is because it has been taboo to talk about angels too much because “we don’t want to get into angel worship”.  Well, that backfired! The fear of worshiping angels has led to entertaining demons, and the base of all of this is fear.  It boils down to fearing everything else and not the Lord.  Either we are bowing our knee in fear of the darkness or in fear/reverence of God and His Kingdom.  We are meant to deal with the demonic and entertain angels.  We partner with angels not worship them.

Look to the Future With Expectancy

As the people of God assemble today, may they build one another up in hope as they look to the future with expectancy for the purposes of God Almighty to be fulfilled in their lives and in their church family. ”So then, let us pursue [with enthusiasm] the things which make for peace and the building up of one another [things which lead to spiritual growth].” (Rom.14:19, Amp)

Elijah De-Masking the Troublers

Kathy—Days of Elijah were days of de-masking the troublers who projected their blame on others.  After three years of no rain, there was almost nothing to eat anywhere and the LORD said to Elijah, “Go and meet with King Ahab. I will soon make it rain.” So Elijah went to see Ahab.  When Ahab saw Elijah he shouted, “There you are, the biggest troublemaker in Israel!” Elijah answered: “You’re the troublemaker, not me! You and your family have disobeyed the LORD’s commands by worshiping Baal. Call together everyone from Israel and have them meet me on Mount Carmel. Be sure to bring along the four hundred fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah who eat at Jezebel’s table.  Ahab got everyone together, then they went to meet Elijah on Mount Carmel. Elijah stood in front of them and said, “How much longer will you try to have things both ways? If the LORD is God, worship him! But if Baal is God, worship him!” The people did not say a word.  The masks were off!

Abundance of Salvation and Wisdom in Our Times

As the people of God assemble today may they worship Yahweh in His holiness and His wisdom which shaped the world and keeps His people in the palm of His hand. May they receive the Father’s wisdom by His Word and His Spirit and may they share it one with another for resolve of trying pressures that seem unrelenting. Isa.33:6,Amp—“And there shall be stability in your times, an abundance of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge; the reverent fear and worship of the Lord is your treasure and His.”

Allowing God Due Access

We should expect and be watching and listening for the knowledge and wisdom Father is giving. This year is the year of saving money because we are allowing the Lord His due access to our mind, will and emotions. This year is the year of preventative considerations so that we do not have added burdens and misery, because we are allowing the Lord His due access to our mind, will and emotions.  Compare 1Peter 5:8,Amp—“Be well balanced (temperate, sober of mind), be vigilant and cautious at all times; for that enemy of yours, the devil, roams around like a lion roaring [in fierce hunger], seeking someone to seize upon and devour.”

The Current Shape We Are In

Melissa—I realize that there are things that have been shaping my life and how I operate and prepare. This has helped me understand why I am in the current shape I am in and why the church and nation are in the shape they are in.  We’ve been entertaining things that are not the will of God.  We’ve been entertaining things that were never His intention for us because somewhere along the line something was suggested that brought agreement.  We have entertained things personally, as a church and as a nation, that have shaped us into what we are right now. This is the year Father is waking us up to see what we have been entertaining.

But God Times

Kathy—The Days of Elijah are “BUT GOD” times.  “Bring me your son,” Elijah said. Then he took the boy from her arms and carried him upstairs to the room where he was staying. Elijah laid the boy on his bed and prayed, “LORD God, why did you do such a terrible thing to this woman? She’s letting me stay here, and now you’ve let her son die.”  Even Elijah’s issues surfaced in this battle of life and death.  Evidently shaken by the widow’s upset and shouting, the prophet spoke to God as if He was being unjust!  “BUT GOD” was waiting on him to calm down and work a miracle. (Remember that in days of battle.) Elijah stretched himself out over the boy three times, while praying, “LORD God, bring this boy back to life!” The LORD answered Elijah’s prayer, and the boy started breathing again. Elijah picked him up and carried him downstairs. He gave the boy to his mother and said, “Look, your son is alive.”  As the widow could testify, the days of Elijah undeniably manifest the Power of God on earth.