Daily Devotions

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To Pierce an Atmosphere

(Kathy Gabler)—Jesus demonstrated how to pierce an atmosphere.  He did it when He acknowledged the woman with the issue of blood.  His acknowledgment, without condemnation, pierced the atmosphere of traditions that limit life and steal destiny.  He pierced the atmosphere that was filled with the fear of death when He spoke to Jairus of his daughter saying, “Do not be afraid any longer; merely entrust this to Christ, and she will be made well.“  Jesus’ words pierced the atmosphere and served as a heads-up to the prince of the power of the air over Jarius’ region.  That atmosphere filled with unbelief was about to shatter.  The stronghold of experience and natural limitations was crumbling, bowing to a Higher order.  Jesus set the rules of engagement in Lk 8:51 “ When He came to the house, He did not allow anyone to enter with Him, except Peter and John and James, and the girl’s father and mother.” Then He pierced the powers-that-be again, “He said, “Stop weeping, for she has not died, but is asleep.”  The first blow shook every power of darkness lurking in the smothering, toxic air, and then He delivered the second blow in verse 54, “He, however, took her by the hand and called, saying, “Child, arise!”  

Issues and Hearing

As the people of God assemble today, may the Lord enable them to step beyond issues that would otherwise hinder their hearing the truths of His Word. May issues not be considered or guarded as the Word of God is spoken. May those issues not be a screen that the Word has to get through before the Word can be considered for repentance and/or growth. May personal issues, and issues with others who are present in the meeting, take a back seat to the life and delivering power of the Word of God.  Psa 81:13 — “Oh, that My people would listen to Me, that Israel would walk in My ways!   14  Speedily then I would subdue their enemies and turn My hand against their adversaries.” (Amp)

You Are There

(Melissa Gabler)–It’s been something else the last month or so! There have been many calls, reports and instances that could keep one in the prayer closet 24/7 (let prayer_look upalone what’s going on nationally). It’s one of those moments that, while feeling bombarded, you realize there are many feeling the same way so there must be something bigger afoot. If you are nodding your head in agreement right now I would just like to encourage you. In the middle of a rather intense evening recently my mom said, “This is a threshold war.” That was the hammer that struck the gong right there! I then saw me and my family pushing through a clear membrane into a new place. Then around 3:00AM the next morning, I woke up and kept hearing, “You are there.” The only thing left was writing on the wall! We are at a new threshold!

Insights to Impact

God is giving His people loving and creative insights into impacting people’s lives. People in this present culture are not wondering whether or not they will go to people talking2heaven or hell if they die, they are concerned whether they have a purpose and what they will do if they continue to have to deal with present moral and cultural challenges. God will speak to us about what He is concerned about in a person’s life while steering us away from pet peeves (religious pet peeves and pet peeves formed from our family paradigms) so that we can effectively impact them with His love and compassion.  “Live an exemplary life among the natives so that your actions will refute their prejudices. Then they’ll be won over to God’s side and be there to join in the celebration when he arrives.” (1Pe 2:12,Msg)

Find the Quiet

In the last two months, I have been in several conversations with upset and anxious people. Hearing their circumstances makes me understand their distress, but mid-conversation I hear again the instructions I heard that morning to “stay still” and “stay thankful”. I want to say to them, “I know it is a challenge when you are anxious and “what-ifs” are erupting in your thoughts and shooting holes in every hope that raises its head, but find the quiet stillness of confidence in God.  Then be thankful that opens the door to Him and He is already on the doorstep.”

Light Shine in Midst of Darkness

Prayer & Declare—I ask of You, Father, that Your light would so shine in the midst of the darkness of this culture that people would turn from the deeds of darkness and follow Your Son in light. Make their darkness abhorrible to them in the presence of Your redeeming light. I declare that the Light of the World, Jesus Christ, overcomes darkness today even as He overcame the deep darkness of the Gadarene demoniac and that we shall see many turn to Him while gladly abandoning their sad, empty darkness.  “Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” (Jn.8:12, NKJV)

Guard Attitude and Gratitude

(Kathy Gabler)—Our faith and trust in God is our stand of agreement that opens the earth and the circumstances and the day and the moment to Him. Basically, Father told me to guard my attitude and my gratitude, and I learned the surest way to do that is to make trust a priority every time a contrary wind stings my face. My confidence in Him cannot be passive nor frail. It must be a deliberate daily decision. Thankfulness too is a daily deliberate decision. For me that decision starts when I remind my soul that He is good and He is in the moment.

No Weapon Formed

No weapon formed against you shall prosper (Isa.54:17). This is the reason why:  No matter the size or type of weapon, it is soooo inconsequential in comparison to your God. Everything He is and everything He can do overwhelms it and engulfs you and the weapon. “For [in comparison with the Lord they are so weak that things as insignificant as] the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool. But My rightness and justice [and faithfully fulfilled promise] shall be forever, and My salvation to all generations.” (Isa.51:8, Amp)

Stay Thankful

(Kathy Gabler)—Stay Still had been only the first instruction. The second was, Stay Thankful.  That seemed somewhat of a contradictory challenge because it involved facing the troubling again that I had turned from to get still.  Sometimes we can simply walk forward and leave past conditions behind, but this time I had to go back to find where I had exchanged or laid aside my, ‘Thank you, Lord’.  Genuine thankfulness required that I go back and find God’s goodness and mercy and presence and purpose there among the unanswered prayers and unchanged issues.  This time I could not wallow in my emotions but rather stand separate from them and find God in the mix.   I gathered the truths out of the rubble.  Even in the unchanging daily grind, He was there and aware because He is God.  He was looking out for me during the struggles and fears because His love for me is constant. He had good plans for the outcome of each concern because He is good.  He would never leave me to Trouble’s threats or whims because He is faithful.  I had to look again to see Him there, and to see Him there reminded me that He is aware and He is good and He is faithful.  That made me thankful.