Daily Devotions

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Eating the Tree and Checking Character

Kathy — The 3rd question God asked Adam in the garden was if he’d eaten of the tree.  God wasn’t looking for information of course.  He was helping Adam realize the point of origin of this earthquake that tore up his self-image and damaged his self-worth, was when he defied the boundaries.  If anyone ever feels like God sets boundaries to demean or be unjust or cruel, they need some vitamin “G” as in “G”row up!  He sets boundaries wisely to set the stage for the truest expression of commitment, respect and honor in a lifetime.  It takes self-government to work within boundaries and that self-government develops maturity and character.  Character is a matter of righteous values and moral strength.  Character is essential to taste true fulfillment in your lifetime.  It will take character to keep you wherever purpose takes you.  I’ve known really gifted and skilled people who lost everything because they did not have the self-government and character to honor boundaries and protocol in relationships or career or finances or health.

Complete Fullness of Diety

(Col.2:9-10,TPT)

“For he is the complete fullness of deity living in human form. And our own completeness is now found in him. We are completely filled with God as Christ’s fullness overflows within us. He is the Head of every kingdom and authority in the universe!”

You and This Time in History

Melissa — Here’s what you need to know first and foremost: YOU are important, YOU have a piece that the rest of us need, YOU have a gift and skill combo no one else has, YOU will live and not die, YOU are created for His glory, and all of these things are His original intent for you at this time in history! Now that that is in the atmosphere, let’s talk about life in the season ahead.

Already Positioned for Kingdom Thinking

Kathy — Just by being born again, we’re already positioned for Kingdom thinking.  In John 3:5,  Jesus said being born of water and [of] the Spirit is the way to enter into the Kingdom of God. When you heard the call to be born again, was the emphasis on entering the Kingdom so you could participate in God’s will being done on earth as in heaven, or was the emphasis on escaping hell?  We are not on earth just to get saved, stay saved and go to heaven. Your salvation is much more awesome. It is empowerment for life!  You are on earth with a purpose.  You are part of what God is doing in the history of the world, history that has already been written, because God knows the end before the beginning, Isa. 46:10. We are here to demonstrate a higher government to a generation.  Isaiah 9:7 says there will be no end to the increase of His Government and Peace.  Therefore, there will be no end to the increase of signs and wonders as His government manifests in powerful contradiction over conditions of darkness.  

Evil Not Hinder Kingdom

Jesus gave instructions on prayer that superceded the apocalyptists view which conceded the present age to evil. HIs instructions were to pray “deliver us from evil for thine is the kingdom.” The emphasis Jesus gave His disciples says, “Thine IS the kingdom”-Matt.6:13. This phrase is not an afterthought, it is the central thought. The Kingdom does not and cannot ever belong to evil, nor can evil hinder the establishing of the Kingdom of God.

Fear-Driven Questions

Melissa — Last year was a year of getting the tools needed for the tool belt.  It was a year of starting to ask the wise, right questions instead of the fear-driven questions.  A fear-driven question already has an answer in mind and can’t hear anything but that.  A wise question is open to hear truth.  Asking those wise questions last year always got an answer.  A lot of answers were personal things that needed to be dealt with in me.  This even led me to go on a fear fast (that has not ended)! 

Seeing Signs, Wonders and Miracles

Kathy Gabler — The words translated miracle or sign or wonder are, for the most part, interchangeable in the Bible. A working definition is: displays of the supernatural in this natural realm. That is encouraging in one way because that implies one reason we don’t see signs and wonders is because we don’t SEE them, even though they are on-going. How many of the 5000 plus that were eating on the hillside realized their lunch was a miracle? I’m thinking a good percentage didn’t have a clue! How many thousands of people saw the same star as the three kings, but didn’t know it was a sign and a wonder? When David saw Goliath, he wasn’t looking for a miracle! He was just looking for a rock! However, there were miracles (plural) in the mix that day, beyond the anointed impact of a rock from a sling. The whole scene was a miracle of timing, circumstance and possibly Goliath choosing the wrong helmet that day! Someone who is trained in CPR can easily fail to see the miracle of being in the right place at the right time to participate in the intervention of God in a situation. Isaiah 20:3, calls it a sign and wonder that Isaiah walked naked and barefoot for three years. I’m just not so sure his wife called that a sign and wonder!

We build definition boxes in our minds, then if supernatural interventions don’t fit in our box, we tend to miss it. I submit to you today that our thinking must change and is going to change. We cannot think as mere humans. We need Kingdom thinking as sons. Jesus said in John 14:12-13,“I tell you this timeless truth: The person who follows me in faith, believing in me, will do the same mighty miracles that I do—even greater miracles than these because I go to be with my Father! 13 For I will do whatever you ask me to do when you ask me in my name. And that is how the Son will show what the Father is really like and bring glory to him.

God’s Unchanging Hand

Grace Elders MinisteringAs the people of God assemble today may they take hold of God’s unchanging hand so that He may lead them as they press through the summer. May they trust Him daily and call on Him daily. Isa.41:10,TPT — “Do not yield to fear, for I am always near. Never turn your gaze from me, for I am your faithful God. I will infuse you with my strength and help you in every situation. I will hold you firmly with my victorious right hand.’