Daily Devotions

Posts tagged “Advent

Extraordinary All Year Long

The Christmas events were extraordinary. Angels were active and interactive with the characters in the event. Persons of high rank got personally angelshepherdsinvolved at great expense. Individuals of lowly birth and lowly means played as important a role as those of higher caste. Divine intervention and protection and wisdom kept the characters in pace and in place. Signs and wonders served to help the characters get into position at just the right time to be supply for Mary and Joseph and the Little One they were privileged to raise up for the saving of a nation.
Let us do far more than delight in the extraordinary events of the Christmas Advent. Let us consider them as that which was initiated to become the ordinary, all year long, for those who would embrace this Extraordinary One born in such an extraordinary way.
“And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, just as it had been told them.” (Lk 2:20, Amp)


 


God Working Behind the Scenes

handpullcurtainWaiting on God involves continuing to do what we were born to do instead of deciding to be still and silent in a puddle of disappointment. For the record, I did get past my disinclination to encourage people like Marty had asked me to that Sunday morning and, before midnight, I got two phone calls with reports of undeniable supernatural interventions.  I did not hear about them before Christmas like I had prayed, but both had happened the week before Christmas!  One was financial and one was a granddaughter coming to an incredible God-turn in her life.  I remembered the word of wisdom that started the financial miracle and I knew about that grandmother’s prayer vigil for that particular granddaughter.  So, I realized  before either miracle, there had been a “working of miracles” behind the scenes before anyone saw the actual miracle.
(This is the eighth excerpt from Kathy Gabler’s article “Christmas Miracles“ taken from Volume 20 Issue 6 of SEEC Magazine.)


 

 


Wait on God

Instead of picking a point to throw our hands up and quit, I’m thinking it might be wiser to expect God to be God and to wait on Him.  Psalm 25 says, I mansitlookupwill wait on God .  That means I will gather all my expectations and twist them into a strong cord and hold on to my confidence that God will have the last word on all matters that concern me.  It also means that I will trudge through disappointment and delays until I get to His results.  That is simple truth that sometimes seems extremely complex to live just because life is so daily.  It is a daily challenge to wait on God and wake up to face sameness without flinching and to outwit reasoning that demands we “get real” and find a livable acre this side of a miracle.  Stress sniffs us out daily when we are waiting on God, and if it gets a grip, it will drag us into emotional fatigue that can lead to weariness in our attitude.  The word says not to be weary in well doing.  Waiting on our faithful God is “well doing,” but if we get snared in weariness, we are liable to faint and miss our awaited God outcome (Gal 6:9).
(This is the sixth excerpt from Kathy Gabler’s article “Christmas Miracles“ taken from Volume 20 Issue 6 of SEEC Magazine.)


 


Miracles Can Require Process

Miracles can require process, like Lazarus.  Dying was part of the process of his miracle!  In John 11, Some thought  “Jesus wept” because He was lazarusraisedgrieving over His friend, but I believe Jesus was weeping over their pain that misunderstanding caused during the process they were experiencing.  He had already said that the result of Lazarus’ sickness would not be death (vs. 4).  When Jesus got to the tomb, He got angry.  Again, I believe He was upset because they were not AWARE that a PROCESS means God is working on a much bigger project than just the lightening moment we need.  They did not know that the resurrection of Lazarus was a demonstration to convince hearts that Jesus was the Christ sent by God as well as a prophetic sign of His own resurrection to come.  Step by step, the resurrection of Lazarus was a crucial miracle that fulfilled a much bigger purpose than the personal need.
(This is the fifth excerpt from Kathy Gabler’s article “Christmas Miracles“ taken from Volume 20 Issue 6 of SEEC Magazine.)


 


Miracles Can Require Perseverance

womanissueblood
Miracles can require perseverance.  The woman with the issue of blood had at least five justifiable reasons to give up and die: her culture, her gender, her strength, her experience and the odds against success in actually reaching Jesus, but she pushed on.  Her moment of relief was only one part of that miracle.


 


Miracles Can Require Participation

friendsmanroof
Miracles can require participation.  The working of miracles may have you climbing up on a housetop, carrying one corner of a stretcher with an ailing friend and then dismantling a roof to let him down into a room to be healed.  The actual moment of change was only one part of that miracle.
(This is the third excerpt from Kathy Gabler’s article “Christmas Miracles“ taken from Volume 20 Issue 6 of SEEC Magazine.)


SEEC Magazine Latest Issue
CLICK ON LINK BELOW TO READ:
https://martygabler.com/magazine/
IN THIS ISSUE:
Christmas Miracles….……………Kathy Gabler
Anticipation………………….……Marty Gabler

 


He Has Provided a Savior

mangerjesusAs the people of God assemble today may they open their hearts and mouths and sing joyous praises to their God because He has provided a Savior. “Joy to the world the Lord is come!”
“Yes, they shall sing of the ways of the Lord and joyfully celebrate His mighty acts, for great is the glory of the Lord.” (Ps.138:5, Amp)


 


Miracles That Propel us Out

ResurrectionTomb
(Kathy G.) I’m expecting miracles to usher in the new year, miracles that propel us out of layers of contradiction that stifle our circumstances and relationships and our daily lives. God is for us and He has the power to resurrect us out of opposition. It is time for old sieges to cease. It has begun.


KATHY GABLER brings an encouraging word in this 3min. audio file.
“He is putting gates in your fences.”
http://martygabler.podomatic.com/entry/2013-09-04T13_14_04-07_00


Miracles for Christmas

CandlesRibbon
I have been praying for miracles this Christmas. In my thinking,
that boils down to a display of the will of God that interrupts and
changes conditions around us. The coming of the Christ is still in
effect as well as God’s goodwill toward men. May His presence
and power and purpose change your life this Christmas as His
goodwill touches the earth again. (Kathy G.) 


My Eyes Have Seen Your Salvation

Simeon with Jesus

Lk.2:27 So he [Simeon] came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law,  28  he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said:  29  “Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, According to Your word;  30  For my eyes have seen Your salvation  31  Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples,  32  A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles,  And the glory of Your people Israel.”


Call His Name Jesus

Jesus
Lk:1:31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and SHALL CALL HIS NAME JESUS.  32  He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David.  33  And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”

Matt.1:16 And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born JESUS, WHO IS CALLED CHRIST.

Matt.1:25 And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and HE CALLED HIS NAME JESUS. 


God With Us Redemptively

helping someone
Emmanuel, “God is with us”, is the God-Man who was born of a virgin that God might dwell among men. Not only did Jesus, Emmanuel, live among men but He lived redemptively among men. He didn’t come to bring merely a message or a creed but He lived out redemptive acts through His life on earth. His disciples, those whom He has redeemed by His redemptive act of His shed blood on the cross must, in turn, live redemptively among men. There are too many and too much to redeem to simply live to go to heaven.

“Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.” (Matt.1:23, NKJV)


Your Home A Place Of Receiving

Xmas_home

 

Your Home #11—May your home be a place of receiving. May your family receive encouragement, good times, happy times, times of celebration, gifts and surprises, supplies, breakthrough, health, wealth and resolve of on-going issues.

“Enlarge the place of your tent, And let them stretch out the curtains of your dwellings; Do not spare; Lengthen your cords, And strengthen your stakes.” (Isa.54:2, NKJV)


To listen to Marty and Kathy’s teachings
and Worship Music: 
CLICK HERE

 


Provided A King

3 wise menAs the people of God assemble today, may they rejoice in the God of their salvation for He has provided us a King who rules in righteousness (Isa.32:1). May they practice the wisdom of seeking Him.
“…Three wise men came from country far;
To seek for a king was their intent…”
“Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel,
Born is the King of Israel.”

“Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O Daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King comes to you; He is [uncompromisingly] just and having salvation [triumphant and victorious], patient, meek, lowly, and riding on a donkey, upon a colt, the foal of a donkey.” (Zech.9:9, Amp)


Joy For Our Savior

Joy

 

As the people of God assemble today may
they open their hearts and mouths and sing
joyous praises to their God because He has
provided a Savior. “Joy to the world the Lord is come.”

“Yes, they shall sing of the ways of the Lord and
joyfully celebrate His mighty acts, for great is the
glory of the Lord.” (Ps.138:5, Amp) 


Extraordinary Events Of Christmas

shepherds-and-angelThe Christmas events were extraordinary. Angels were active and interactive with the characters in the event. Persons of high rank got personally involved at great expense. Individuals of lowly birth and lowly means played as important a role as those of higher caste. Divine intervention and protection and wisdom kept the characters in pace and in place. Signs and wonders served to help the characters get into position at just the right time to be supply for Mary and Joseph and the Little One they were privileged to raise up for the saving of a nation.

Let us do far more than delight in the extraordinary events of the Christmas Advent. Let us consider them as that which was initiated to become the ordinary, all year long, for those who would embrace this Extraordinary One born in such an extraordinary way.

“And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, just as it had been told them.” (Lk 2:20, Amp)

 

 

 

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