Daily Devotions

Posts tagged “2018

Reaching Beyond Barriers

Declaration 1 (Part 3)— This is the year to take the next step.—Peter walked on water. Some have let go of the mast of the boat and taken a step toward the gunwale but have only peeked over the side. Some have actually stepped over to the gunwale and have climbed up and are dangling their feet over the side but have stopped there. All 12 disciples could have taken the next step and gotten off the side and onto the water but Peter was the only one who did. The only people who criticize Peter for going down in the waves are people who are standing on shore in dry weather; are those who are satisfied to continue sitting right where they are now. (Phil.3:13) “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but [this] one thing [I do], forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,  14  I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” (KJV) “Reaching forth to those things that are before” is reaching beyond a barrier; reaching beyond something that has not been passed before.

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The Next Step–Study the Bible

Declaration 1 (Part 2)— THIS IS THE YEAR TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP.  (d.) This is the year to study things in the Bible you have never studied before. Buy books and software.  e.) This is the year to take the necessary step in the direction of health and nutrition.  f.) This is the year to set aside a daily, designated time for prayer and devotion. Buy a daily journal.  g.) This is the year for some to take the step into leadership.  (Second segment from 2018 Declarations)

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The Year to Take the Next Step

Declaration 1.–This is the year to take the next step.  Kids Version: Adventure is Out There: Ready, Set, Go!  This year you will be taking a step more in the direction the Lord has you headed in within your bent, your calling, your purpose. This is the year for stepping up to the next level of your purpose and function in the Kingdom of God.  (a.) If you have been praying for people to be healed of colds, you will start praying for people to be healed of cancer.  (b.) This is the year to take the test for the next highest position in the company you work for.  (c.) This is the year, if you have a high school degree, to take the step toward a bachelor’s degree; take step toward masters.
(First segment from 2018 Declarations)

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2018 DECLARATIONS

2018 DECLARATIONS

CLICK ON THE POWERPOINT SLIDE BELOW TO VIEW:


The Month of January is For

The month of JANUARY IS FOR REACHING BEYOND FORMER BARRIERS. In January, (and throughout 2018) we will reach beyond the stopping points we have always stopped at before. We will not allow poor self-image, sense of unworthiness, family-accepted pitfalls or limited resources to keep us from “reaching forward to those things which are before” (Phil.3:13). We will press forward and extend our reach to some markable degree greater than we have before.

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Purposed to Run

As the people of God assemble today, may they see plainer than ever the road that they are purposed to run in the new year. May one be an encouragement to another to steadily get on down the path this year that leads to success for our Lord’s plan.

“…I want you to get out there and walk—better yet, run!—on the road God called you to travel. I don’t want any of you sitting around on your hands. I don’t want anyone strolling off, down some path that goes nowhere. And mark that you do this with humility and discipline—not in fits and starts, but steadily, pouring yourselves out for each other in acts of love, alert at noticing differences and quick at mending fences.” Eph.4:1b-3, Msg)


LEAVE OUT THE COP-OUTS

If you spend any time around little children, you will realize that they are champions at excuses for not obeying or completing tasks. If allowed to carry that fall-back into their future without being expected to fulfill requirements put upon them it will result in their failure in tasks and in the proper development of their character.

It is good to realize our utter dependence upon God as long as we don’t shift it from humble recognition to excuse. (1Ki 3:7)  “Now, O Lord my God, You have made Your servant king instead of David my father, and I am but a lad [in wisdom and experience]; I know not how to go out (begin) or come in (finish).” (Amp)  Proclaiming not knowing how to begin or end a thing shouldn’t be an excuse but rather an acknowledgement of Who does. Then, if we know Who does know how to begin and end a thing ((Isa.46:10), we can yield to Him and His principles of enablement for and completing mandates and making necessary adjustments in preferences, appetites and emotions.

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Finishing One Battle Before Starting Another

Finishing up one level of mandate before going to another level of mandate is prudent, saves time, saves energy and money. Finishing the necessary portions of the first floor before beginning the second floor typically prevents the second floor from collapsing the whole house. Finishing one battle before taking on another one carries obvious advantages.
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Marty Gabler will be giving the 2018 Declarations at Grace International Church on Sunday 12-31-17 at 10:00am.
More information and map: www.graceic.org


Wrapping up Tattered Ends

A huge, muscular draft horse was pulling a weighted sled in a competition.  The horse was obviously straining forward with every ounce of strength he could muster and was making some progress. But he was, with every step, getting closer and closer to a definite stopping point. It didn’t matter that he had dragged the heavy steel sled farther than any of the other horses in the competition, he still came to a sudden halt. It just happened to be a halt that was a bit farther down the track than the other horses’ halts. The “Year End Wrap Up” theme seems to speak to the need to not drag old stuff from the previous year (or even previous years) into the new year. Even though it is a burden, we tend to wrestle with old issues that seem to never get settled or worked out and we just continue to take them along with us into the future.

Lethargy, wavering commitment, fear and neglect are some of the weights that make for burdensome sleds that we drag with us from one season to the next. There are issues to resolve before the end of this year that would be easier dealt with and resolved more readily without adding the laborious task of not having ended things well. It is time for a season in our lives where we “wrap up” what has been left at tattered ends.

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Decisions and Determinations for the New

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” the residue of the past will taint the tomorrow of promise. It is OK to go into promise with a wilderness experience. But 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.

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Needing a Big Jolt

Thank God for the prayer movement leaders who have arisen in the last 10 to 20 years to remind the church that they are supposed to be praying. Every time the people of God have lost something over the course of time God has been determined to restore it. He is a God of restoration. And every time God restores something to the church He has to bring it back in an earthshaking fashion for it to do staid, cynical humans any good. A plain old vitamin B tablet won’t get the job done when a virus has our entire system run down. God has to give us a “powerful concentration of ‘B’ in ‘shot’ form”. When a car battery goes dead, a simple 10 amp charger isn’t enough to get the vehicle going again. A 250 amp charger is required and, boy, is there ever a difference between a 10 amp spurt of electricity and a 250 amp jolt!
While it is good and necessary to remember the birth of Jesus Christ, let us honor Him even further by receiving the gift and empowering of the Holy Spirit that He gave at what many call the birth of the Church, Pentecost. Closing out this year and heading into 2018, anything less than a “high amperage” Holy Ghost “jolt” will not be sufficient.  (Acts 2:2, TPT) “Suddenly they heard the sound of a violent blast of wind rushing into the house from out of the heavenly realm. The roar of the wind was so overpowering it was all anyone could bear!”  (Acts 1:8, TLB) “But when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, you will receive power to testify about me with great effect, to the people in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth, about my death and resurrection.”

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2 min. video of Marty Gabler encouraging you to listen for
and look for the extraordinary Savior.
Click here:  EYE HAS NOT SEEN

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What is a Prophetic Lifestyle?

What is a prophetic lifestyle? It is hearing and seeing God’s intention about the here and now, and what is to come on a regular basis.  Or as my Mom puts it, “PROPHETIC” is God revealing Himself, His thoughts, His will, His insights, His plans, His wisdom or instructions or warnings or the plans of hell.  Why is a prophetic lifestyle important? A prophetic lifestyle starts with a hearing ear. The statement  “He who has ears to hear let him hear” is made in all of the following passages: Matthew 11:15; 13:9; Mark 4:9; Luke 8:8; Revelation 2:7; 3:6.  To be said this many times must mean it’s rather important. This lifestyle lives in agreement with the intentions of God and stops enemy assignments from manifesting on the earth. (Second excerpt from Melissa’s article “Prophetic Lifestyle”.)

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December is For Going Over

The month of DECEMBER IS FOR GOING OVER. December is for going over things that have mounted up and stubbornly stood in opposition. We will not wait for the New Year but will go over the top of opposition and defeat at the end of the year so that we may have a head start at the beginning of the year and our going over shall set the pace for 2018. ”…YOU SHALL GO OVER and take possession of that good land.” (Deut.4:22, ESV)

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Kingdom Congress 2018 — PLAN NOW

Click HERE for more information.  NO FEE