Daily Devotions

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The Weapon and the Countermeasure

Melissa — While thinking about recent events I had to deal with, the scripture Isaiah 54:17 “no weapon formed against you will prosper” came up again. This time, however, I saw it differently. I think a lot of times this is used as a defensive scripture when really it is an offensive scripture. God equips us for the weapon BEFORE, not after, it is formed against us. The reason the weapon doesn’t prosper is because He already set countermeasures in place prior to its launch. He already equipped you with everything necessary to walk out of this battle in tact. That, my friends, is an offensive scripture loaded for battle!

Speak to the Mountain

Kathy — I saw the words scroll across the television screen: “SPEAK TO THE MOUNTAIN.” I thought of all the times I had spoken to circumstances and problems to be removed or resolved but saw no change. Suddenly the Holy Spirit interrupted my musings and instructed me to speak to the MOUNTAIN “within,” not “without.” In that moment the emphasis switched from the trouble and pressure around me to the troubled soul within me. Ps.143:12, Amp — “And in your mercy and loving-kindness, cut off my enemies and destroy all those who afflict my inner self, for I am Your servant.”  The primary mountain is the stress or anxiety or fear or anger or frustration or guilt or confusion that mounts up in us in reaction to circumstances. Those negative and destructive forces mount to such heights that they block out the light of truth and smother hope. They darken our emotions and obstruct God who is our Light, Truth and Hope, by raising a barrier between us and Him. So the “inner” MOUNTAIN is the first and critical challenge.

Sound of the Ages

God is looking for a people who will line up with a plan that has been in existence for eons. God “framed,” “completed,” “fit for Himself the ages” (Heb.11:3) with sound. He sounded out that which fit His purposes. The ages have been “fit for Himself” therefore the machinations and agendas of men (both religious and nonreligious) will not fit or find a place of fulfillment in them. Could it be that sometime we get frustrated over unanswered prayer because our prayers don’t fit what Father has already sounded out for the ages which our lives were meant to fit properly and successfully into? Since the ages were framed by the sound of God, we might want to take time to listen to that sound rather than making all the sound during prayer. (Compare Rev.2:7)

What a Day Can Hold

From a spontaneous song Melissa sang on a Sunday morning: “You don’t understand what a day can hold. spring sunriseWith each breath you take things can change.  You don’t understand what this day can hold.  With the next breath you take life can change. With each step you take won’t you expect the impossible? Won’t you expect the answer? Don’t you understand that a day sits in the palm of His hand? With each breath you take life can change.  So, won’t you get ready for the impossible at your door? Because each day sits in the palm of His hand and there’s nothing outside of His grasp, nothing too far for His eyes to see.” 

Feeling Like a Victim

Kathy — We don’t know when or why Saul decided that he was “all that and a sack of chips,” but we do know that pride will breach character. Perhaps being head and shoulders above everyone else made him feel superior. On perhaps, the other extreme, his fear of the people (1 Sam 15:24) was a sign of inferior feelings and deep insecurities, and pride became his antidote. Whatever his path to pride, it became his path to downfall. The word warns that pride comes before a fall and I think it is safe to say that big pride comes VictimShameBowHeadbefore a big fall. King Saul did not fear God and pride was his door to destruction.

Sometimes we forget that we are made in the image of our Creator God. So when we create our own monsters and our own downfall, we transfer the credit to God, the devil or someone else. That way we feel like a victim instead of a perpetrator. The problem is that if we are victims, we ignore our need to repent. Instead of changing, we sit in the ruins expecting God to do what we will not do ourselves. Saul could not find someone else to blame for the breaches of his soul and character, and neither can we. 

In the last half of this year, may we fear God and humble ourselves before Him that we will have the godly character to cooperate and not hinder His intent and instructions. May the rest of this year be marked by sons willingly participating in the changes necessary to see His Kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven.
(Kathy will be speaking at Dreams Visions Prophecy Conference Sept.10-12, 2021 at Grace Church Willis.)

Mind of Christ

FingerForeheadManAs the people of God assemble today may they appreciate, give themselves fully to and lean heavily upon the mind of Christ to be and do what the sons/daughters of the Kingdom are mandated to do in this present world to the glory of the name of the King of Kings.  1Cor.2:16–“….But we have the mind of Christ.”

Loosed From Past Limitations

HandsKnotUntyeMay the Lord break you loose from the past limitations of your family, even from many generations past. May you and your seed far surpass the deeds and accomplishments of your former generations so that the Lord is known as Almighty God to you and yours now, and in time to come. ”For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.” (Ps.100:5, KJV)

The Enemy is Feeling Pressure”

(Melissa) We meditate on God’s will, His original intent for this earth.  We stop fixating on the enemy’s war around us by realizing his war has intensified because he is feeling the pressure of this never-ending Kingdom in Luke 1.  We turn our thoughts toward that powerful fact.  We engage in power, love, and a sound mind by dumping fear-PressureManRockthoughts that have wreaked havoc (2 Timothy 1:7).  This is all possible in our lifetime! “Keep a cool head. Stay alert. The Devil is poised to pounce, and would like nothing better than to catch you napping. Keep your guard up. You’re not the only one plunged into these hard times. It’s the same with Christians all over the world. So keep a firm grip on the faith. The suffering won’t last forever. It won’t be long before this generous God who has great plans for us in Christ—eternal and glorious plans they are!—will have you put together and on your feet for good. He gets the last word; yes, He does.” (1 Peter 5:8-11.  (The Message)

Bringing Change to a Nation

By Kathy G. — Some cocoons (entrapped, tough times in life) are common for many people, but we also have our customized cocoons, those tough times that are unique to us.  These come from matters that need resolve in our soul, like you may be having to work on a relationship that was damaged by jealousy or fear or anger.  Or you may walking at sunrisebe having to deal with problems you inherited, ongoing battles from choices made four generations ago.  Perhaps your forerunners  didn’t choose life and blessings and it caused  them to end up with a view of marriage that’s bound to fail.  So the next generation has to work through the trickle-down issues of divorce.  Or a generation made wrong career choices and bankrupted the whole family causing  poverty  conditions and limitations for decades.  Or a generation chose death and curses, deciding to be lawless, and the ripple effect undermined character to the point that a family or community or culture is cocooned in corruption. Can our struggles really be related to our purpose and our future when we can’t see any connection to either? We need to CHOOSE LIFE and bring CHANGE in our lifetime, and even expect change to ripple back to the previous generation.

Allowing Holy Spirit’s Reasoning

May we quickly allow Holy Spirit to reason with us when we get over into a mentality of frustration and anger, and when we begin to express views and attitudes that aren’t even reasonable. May we seek and find His help in a timely fashion so that we may come to a godly solution before we cause ourselves, or others, unnecessary difficulties. Js.1:5,Amp—“If any of you lacks wisdom [to guide him through a decision or circumstance], he is to ask of [our benevolent] God, who gives to everyone generously and without rebuke or blame, and it will be given to him.”