Daily Devotions

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Worshiping Power is Not Enough

KATHY GABLER—Lovers of darkness worship power. It is interesting that everybody in Egypt was plagued until the magicians stopped competing. Evidently, Israel was also being convinced that worshiping power was not enough. The one true God was to be worshiped. It was the Lord who withheld His grace that would allow Pharaoh to have a change of heart.  He was obviously pushing the envelope to teach the truth.  In the next plague, God began to show the benefit of being allied with Him.  The flies did not reach the Israelites’ region of the city.  They were spared for the purpose of demonstrating that Jehovah was Lord in the midst of the earth.  Powers of darkness are never noble in their ultimate purpose.  They seek to intimidate by demonstrating their skills, and when there are harmful consequences it is of no particular concern to them. But here, God demonstrates that His acts are for His purposes in the earth and that He is drawing a line between those who worship Him and those who worship power.

Him Who has Plans and a Future

MARTY GABLER—As the people of God assemble today may they look to Him Who has plans and a future for each of them. May they clearly see and understand that just because they may have a history of defeat and never-ending need, that the future Jehovah God is working on is one of hope and security in Him. Rom.15:4—“Whatever was written in the past was written for our instruction so that we could have hope through endurance and through the encouragement of the scriptures.”  Heb.10:23—“Let’s hold on to the confession of our hope without wavering, because the one who made the promises is reliable.”

New Opportunities and New Adjustments

MARTY GABLER–Going into the new year or new season or new opportunities requires adjustments, decisions and determination on our part. When Israel left old Egypt for the new promised land, they increased the difficulty of the transition by taking old issues, and resultant attitudes, with them. It is OK to take a wilderness experience into promise. We all have some kind of wilderness experience at some point in life, if not several of them. Having gone through the not-so-fun wilderness events, we tend to come out on the other end with negative residue on us. Not “washing off” (Eph.5:26) the residue of the past will taint the tomorrow of promise. It is OK to go into promise with a wilderness experience, but it is destructive to go into promise with a wilderness heart. What we don’t leave in the wilderness, trips us up in the promised land. Achan’s family, as well as himself, suffered the consequences of a wilderness heart in the promised land (Josh. 7). What we don’t get over today, overcomes us tomorrow. (consider Akin)

Dreaming and What Might Happen

Melissa Gabler—If dreaming has not been an exciting concept for a while due to experience and our current state, just know your Father would have you to start dreaming again. Dreaming in the middle of this moment may sound counterproductive and silly, but it may be exactly what you need to move forward. What does dreaming look like? I honestly don’t know. I am working on that myself. I do believe it has something to do with looking ahead and letting passion, desire and creativity fill in the blanks. I also believe a dream crosses over into the realm of idealism when it becomes a fixed picture with no moving parts. Dreams are fluid and allow the Great Inspirer to add the elements needed for them to become real life. Maybe allow yourself to open up to the possibility of wide-eyed dreaming and see what might happen. We can’t allow victimhood to stifle us out of living with all that is possible in the God with Whom nothing is impossible (Matt.19:26;Lk.1:37;Phil.4:13). “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Psalm 119:105) “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way.” (Psalm 37:23) “Thou will show me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” (Psalm 16:11)

The Lord of Breakthroughs

Kathy Gabler—I went to bed with a sense of a storm gathering and I fell asleep praying.  I stirred once or twice with a definite awareness of war in the heavenlies.  A little after 3:00 A.M., I awoke to the sounds of battle, swords clashing and noisy chaos.  In a vision, I watched silhouettes in battle and knew I was seeing war in second heaven.  I thought of the archangel Michael warring to get the answer to Daniel’s prayer to him and I realized this war was getting God’s will to earth again. I did not have the pulse of what God was doing or what prayers He was answering, so I knelt on the bed and asked Him, “How do I pray?  What do I do?”  But His answer was surprising, “Just watch what I’m doing.”  So, I silently watched and waited for God’s outcome.  Lightning flashed and thunder crashed so loudly in the vision that it seemed to be a real storm inside the hotel room until 3:45 A.M. When the battle sounds subsided, I could only hear the sound of rain, heavy rain.  The vision continued.  I saw the sides of a river being torn away by the force of gushing flood waters.  I knew I was seeing a breakthrough that night that would bring changes as surely as the gushing waters were changing the course of that river.  I was reminded of 2Sam.5:20, and Baal-perazim, which means “the Lord of breakthroughs” or the “Owner of breakthroughs”.  I fell into a deep sleep, confident God was doing something awesome and had broken through opposition to get things from Heaven to earth.

AS YOU GO

Marty Gabler—“AS YOU GO” about your Father’s business today, this week and this year, what you accomplish will far exceed your abilities and learned knowledge. You will have delightful discoveries that your Father’s hand is working beyond your immediate awareness. You will be involved in His workings without having to launch yourself for a particular mission. He will use you and you will accomplish matters for His Kingdom “AS YOU GO”. You will accomplish more “accidentally” than the enemy will accomplish on purpose.  Matt 10:7  “And AS YOU GO, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand!”

A Reminder for 2025

MELISSA GABLER—A reminder for 2025: don’t forget that what a lot of people are dealing with personally, whether it be physically or emotionally, may be the war in the atmosphere.  We have the authority to say “peace” because we are His agents.  When our Lord told the storm to “be still” the atmosphere listened.  We carry that same authority and it is our job to change the atmosphere during our lifetime.  So, the next time you are dealing with something personally let your first reaction be to remember there is so much more going on around you than your eyes can see.  Ask, “where is this coming from and how do I need to deal with it?” You may simply need to say, “Peace, be still.”

In Process and Not Yet Reachable

Kathy Gabler—I encourage you not to get frustrated if a dream has to wait and open over time. There may be elements in it that are in process and not yet reachable, but the dream can still be a landmark or confirmation later.  One dream I had over 25 years ago just opened to me the first week of September this year.  In the dream, Marty and I turned off a major four-lane road onto a dirt road.  It led to an old country house.  There was an elderly lady sitting in a rocker on the porch.  No words were spoken but we knew the old home place was ours and that she had been overseeing it and waiting for us to get there.  She was a watchman (angel) guarding our destiny and heritage.
     When I got out of the car, there was a wooden fence a few feet from me and a huge bull was standing on the other side of it.  He came as close to me as he could get with only two boards separating him and me.  He lowered his head and glared at me.  My legs felt weak as water.  I sensed the bull and I were facing off and I could not cower to his silent bullying.  I took a deep breath, crossed my arms to stop the trembling, and I stared into his eyes and said, “I’m not afraid of you.”  I turned my back on him, let my breath out slowly and walked away.
     There was a bag that was full of seed when we got up to the house.  The bag seemed to be moving as though the seeds were active and alive within it.  Marty was suddenly urgent to get the seed planted, and I felt compelled to help him.  There was a tangible sense of sowing for a specific harvest that would be fruitful and have powerful impact in the future.  As the sun set, we ended up in the house, sleeping in a small room, like a parlor off the living room (where the lady now sat).  Melissa was also there with us then.  I remember thinking she must be part of the ministry call we were realizing in this destined time and place.
     The whole dream was an allegory about our family and how our calling and purpose  and heritage is pre-destined by God and already in place.  However, the dream was a loud message for me personally to keep in mind the potential danger of my strong will (the bull).  While I am not to yield in fear of its strength, neither can I ignore it.  The bull didn’t just lie down or go away because of that face-off, but neither did it break out of bounds.  I’m sure the Lord intended my will to be an asset and would not want it weak or useless, but neither should it be allowed to do damage or dominate my life if I am to walk out the destiny God has planned.
     I had never forgotten the dream and often wondered why it did not open in my understanding for so many years.  Now I see that timing was the key.  Had I squared off with my will at the time of the dream, I would have been determined to conquer it in my own strength. Ironically, that would have built more muscle in the “bull” and beefed-up the problem in the process.  Instead, the Holy Spirit has been saving and sanctifying my soul (and that strong) will for 25 years, and that was the wise way to keep it within necessary boundaries.  I am grateful for this understanding now and so very grateful for His faithful tending of my soul.
     I pray 2025 becomes the year of clarity and courage to walk into God intersections and see His Kingdom come on earth as in heaven.
(There are 402 videos of Marty, Kathy and Melissa available to watch on Marty’s YouTube Channel at this link: https://www.youtube.com/@martygabler3772 )

Community Operating in Harmony

Marty Gabler—As the people of God assemble today, may His powerful Holy Spirit compact us, that is, cause us to coalesce, being formed into one mass or community operating in harmony. May the ligaments in His Church hold us together solidly throughout this year. And may we so be built up in love that our harmony may never be found by Him to be disconsonant.   “For because of Him the whole body (the church, in all its various parts), closely joined and firmly knit together by the joints and ligaments with which it is supplied, when each part [with power adapted to its need] is working properly [in all its functions], grows to full maturity, building itself up in love.” (Eph.4:16, Amp)