Daily Devotions

Posts tagged “God

Getting out of Bounds on a Shortcut

KATHY–The third thing the devil did was offer Jesus a way to get what He came after by getting out of bounds on a shortcut.  Satan offered to not oppose Him and give Him the kingdoms of this world (Rev. 11:15).  Jesus knew the kingdoms of the world were to be His, but He knew better than to worship Satan to get them.  Jesus was a mature son of strong character, and He was so intent upon obedience and self-government, that He couldn’t be tempted by success any other way.  Adam and Eve did fall for the temptation to get out of bounds and reach beyond the will of God.  Then, evidently, they did not truly repent because they passed on the “thinking of their heart” to the next generation.  Cain reached outside God’s boundaries with a sacrifice that wasn’t acceptable.  Then his self-worth plummeted and his self-government completely toppled when he murdered his brother.


Dumping Fear-Thoughts

MELISSA—We meditate on God’s will, His original intent for this earth.  We stop fixating on the enemy’s war around us by realizing his war has intensified because he is feeling the pressure of this never-ending Kingdom in Luke 1.  We turn our thoughts toward that powerful fact.  We engage in power, love, and a sound mind by dumping fear-thoughts that have wreaked havoc (2 Timothy 1:7).  This is all possible in our lifetime! “Keep a cool head. Stay alert. The Devil is poised to pounce, and would like nothing better than to catch you napping. Keep your guard up. You’re not the only one plunged into these hard times. It’s the same with Christians all over the world. So keep a firm grip on the faith. The suffering won’t last forever. It won’t be long before this generous God who has great plans for us in Christ—eternal and glorious plans they are!—will have you put together and on your feet for good. He gets the last word; yes, He does.” (1 Peter 5:8-11, The Message)


Derailing God’s Participants

KATHY—If your enemy has sniffed out the purpose and call of God in you, he will go after it. Technically, the devil can’t decide to touch God’s plan and purpose, he is just not big enough.  His only hope is to derail God’s participants from it through evil devices like injustice, deception, false accusation, etc.  He will use anything he can to limit or stop you or your passion.  Stopping you from being who you were born to be and doing what you were born to do is his only way of hindering the GLORY of GOD in the earth.  Jesus said in John 17:4  “I glorified You on the earth, having accomplished the work which You have given Me to do.”   So your purpose and potential to bring God glory can draw unique fire as the devil consistently tries to rob, kill or destroy the glory of God. 


Don’t Leave a Wimpy Heritage

KATHY—That “BID me COME” is in the heart of all of us.  It is deep calling unto deep and JESUS is saying to us too, “COME ON!”  There is no need for us to live a watered-down version of what God had in mind for our lifetime.  We don’t have to leave a wimpy, skimpy heritage.  Fear may hold us in the boat and tempt us to refuse the dominion mandate, but there is a stronger force at work in us.  There is a heart’s cry, “Lord, BID me COME.”  We may consider just stepping back from sonship and dominion because we have not seen it or lived it vividly yet, but dominion is not about being an experienced son, it is about being an obedient son.  There will be times in all of us that the cry of “BID me COME” stirs in our breast and we have a choice to respond to the Lord’s, “Come on.” 


Sin and Pain

What happens when people are in chaos? What happens when people are in pain? One time I hurt my lower back very badly. I was lying there in the bed crying and groaning because I was in such tremendous pain. Emotional pain as well as physical pain can cause great agony in someone’s life. In Rom.8:19,22 the Bible talks about the earth groaning, creation groaning because creation is suffering from the pain of sin. In sin is that which is outside the order of God. When God gave us the Ten Commandments, He didn’t give us the Ten Commandments so He could be a mean old Father. Some people see Him just yelling “Thou shall not do this. Thou shall not do that. Thou shalt sit still and do nothing”. That’s not why God gave us the Ten Commandments. Why do you think God said, “Thou shall not commit adultery”? There would be no sexual disease if there were no adultery or fornication. Marriages and whole families would not be destroyed. If we stay inside God’s order, if we stay inside the safe boundaries that God sets there is righteousness, peace and joy. When we get outside of the lines and the boundaries, there is pain.


How do You Narrow Down a Symbol

KATHY—How do we know if a dream is symbolic?  Sometimes, it is definitely obvious right up front that a dream is not literal, like if your cat is driving your car.  (And no matter how smart your cat is, cats can’t get a driver’s license!)  On a side note, symbols may be personal because of how they fit in your experiences and frame of reference.  Case in point, if I dreamed a cat was driving my car, that would be a clear telegram for me that I am being soul-led rather than Spirit-led because a strong mindset is driving my thinking and behavior.  I would know that because in my symbols discoveries through the years, cats represent strong mindsets, preset opinions and intense attitudes.  However, a cat can represent something completely different to other people, like cats may represent companionship or home security because they kill mice, etc.  So symbolism begs the question: ‘How do you narrow down what a symbol means in a dream?’  The answer is that you develop an ear to hear a Holy Spirit “click” that turns the light on in your understanding and confirms the correct thinking.


From Chaos to Order

MARTY—If you want to find out what disorder is like in your life, all you have to do is sin. Sin will bring disorder to your life. I have seen sin destroy homes because of adultery. I have seen many lives destroyed because of drugs, alcohol, perversion. There is a price to pay for rejecting the government, order, of Yahweh.
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth and the earth was without order. It was without form (Gen.1:2). But Holy Spirit hovered over the earth and brought order. Jn.3:16, “For God so loved the world [i.e., His created order] that He gave His only begotten Son.” Why? Because that order He created was set into chaos by man’s sin. So God wanted His order back. He knew His order was best and chaos was destructive. His order is righteousness and peace and joy (Rom.14:17). So He gave His only begotten Son. Why? So that all of this chaos could be brought back into order. Only Jesus can bring the chaos of the world back into order.


Misunderstanding in Dreams and Visions

KATHY—Misunderstanding about thinking literally and symbolically is one of the biggest reasons we misunderstand communications in dreams or visions and that can then leave us totally confused and missing the point. Literal means “real with no hidden meanings and nothing to be de-coded”.  What you see is what you get.   For example, if you dream birds are covering your house and the dream is a literal message, you need to find ways to keep birds off your roof before you have a mess.  The dream would be a heads-up for your benefit in future.  Symbolic means not real and a detail represents something other than itself.  In that case, the birds aren’t really birds but they represent something else in the air or atmosphere or surroundings.  Landing on your roof top or your high place would be your head and/or mind.  So the message would be to guard your mind and thinking from something in the atmosphere trying to land and have presence or influence in you.


The Holy Spirit is Unlimited

KATHY—The Holy Spirit has unlimited ways to communicate with us when He is transferring God-glimpses or God-insights. For example, a couple of years ago, I kept seeing the number 1111.  It got my attention so frequently that I could not help but wonder why.  For months I noticed it everywhere, on TV, billboards, addresses, digital clocks, in a dream, on a license plate, etc.  So I pursued an understanding of its significance.  At first, I considered that it might be a time or date, but that never jelled.  I asked the Lord for wisdom.  His wisdom is defined in Strong’s Concordance as sage advice, the act of interpreting dreams and the ability to discover the meaning of a mysterious number or vision. In answer to my request, a thought I’d not had came to me and sent me on a search of the eleventh chapter of every book of the Bible, and I found the answer in Luke 11:11, “Now suppose one of you fathers is asked by his son for a fish; he will not give him a snake instead of a fish, will he?” Suddenly I understood the Lord was letting me know that particular scripture was a telegram for me.  He was reminding me that He is my Father and He knows my heart’s desire and petitions.  Beyond that He was letting me know that He will answer my long-term petitions and His answers will not be a disappointment!  So that 11:11 was an awesome communication from my Father that lifted my head and heart.


Observe the Tide or Turn the Tide

MARTY—We live in this time in history because God ordained it so and He also ordained the days to come for His Name’s sake (Ps23:3; 106:8; Ex9:16; 1Jn2:12) It is not our purpose in living to simply observe “the tide” of circumstances but to turn the tide. We do not live so we might observe history taking place but so we might make history.  Ps.106:8,Amp—“Nevertheless He saved them for His name’s sake, That He might make His [supreme] power known.”  Ex.9:16,Amp—“But indeed for this very reason I have allowed you to live, in order to show you My power and in order that My name may be proclaimed throughout all the earth.”  Ps.145:10b-12,Amp—“… Your godly ones will bless You. 11 They shall speak of the glory of Your Kingdom And talk of Your power, 12 To make known to the sons of men Your mighty acts And the glorious majesty of Your kingdom.”


Cooperating With: “Your Will be Done”

KATHY–They said of Jesus: “What kind of a man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?” (Mt.8:27)  This is the kind of man that exemplifies a son that creation groans for, the kind of man that believes God delegated authority to mankind in Genesis that is still in effect.  Jesus lived as the kind of man that would overcome opposing circumstances and even natural boundaries to bring circumstances into alignment with God’s will, the kind of son who does what he sees the Father doing.  We can do this.  Dominion is doable.  I have a good friend who is gearing up to take dominion over land in Israel that will affect the future and destinies of a generation there. Her plan is incremental, purchase by purchase, life by life.  She’s not doing this because she is experienced at it, but because it is an obedience.  It’s what she sees the Father doing.  I know another lady that was told when she was twenty-three that she would not live long.  Her response was, “That can’t be.  I have too much to do.”  And now in her fifties, she was proven right.  She has lived to build an orphanage in Africa that she makes regular trips to maintain and expand.  By her decision and words she took dominion over a diagnosis and continues to do what she sees the Father doing.  We just have to decide whether we are going to live on the bench with condemnation and fig leaves in fear or doubt, or put on our cape and leotard with the big golden “S” for SON and reach beyond natural to Super-natural and do what Father said we could and would and should.  That is participating and cooperating with the prayer, “Lord, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”


Living Beyond Eclipses, Illusions and Fears

MARTY—While there are people in every generation who have illusions and fears about moons, eclipses and calendar dates, let us all fear GOD and walk before Him uprightly through all the comings and goings of signs and dates and books and videos on social media. In spite of illusions, may the people of God live fruitfully and effectively while perfect love is casting out fear created by those illusions (1Jn.4:18). “But against all illusion and fantasy and empty talk There’s always this rock foundation: Fear God!” (Eccl.5:7, Msg)

Dates, predictions and signs come and go in every generation and during and after the book writing and prophesying of it all, and after the hubbub, frenzy, fear and debates subside, creation is still left groaning for the manifestation of the sons of God. We are surrounded by masses who wish their lives were different. It would not do creation nor the miserable masses an ounce of good for sons of God to be manifest somewhere out there in the distant, eternal future. Creation is not groaning for the cessation of time but for the benefits received when the King’s sons/daughters rule wisely and authoritatively with their Father’s character and enablement in real time, in present circumstances (Matt.10:7-8; Mk.16:17-20).


Plug Into the Power of Praying

KATHY—We must understand the power of what Jesus told us to pray, because people don’t plug into the power of praying, “Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as in heaven,” if they do not understand it or don’t know they can!  Bear in mind also that God’s will being done in earth does not hinge on our significance.  It hinges on our obedience.  Like Jeremiah 11:4 said, “Obedience seals the deal.”  Whatever Father is doing that you see or perceive, then doing just your part seals the deal to usher in some degree of the God-results.  So if we simplify a Kingdom lifestyle down to an A-B-C format,  A) is staying aware of God at all times, B) is simple obedience, and C) is trusting God.  That adds up to participation in what Father is doing whether it is through sudden miracles or incremental God-changes over time.


When a Grain Falls Into the Ground

MARTIN P—“Truly I say to you that UNLESS a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies…”(Jesus speaking in Jn12:24) This particular Grain of Wheat had a choice as to whether or not He would die and go into the earth. Knowing what was coming, He said to the Father, “yet not my will, but yours be done.”(Lk22:42) He was willing! Because this Grain would not “remain alone”: v.24 “if it dies, it bears much fruit.” Those redeemed by the shed blood of Jesus are His fruit. We are His message, His living letters (2Co3:3) that He has sent into the future. He rose, He lives and His fruit (His message to this generation) will show Him and His resurrection to the world by the power of His Spirit. He was willing to die to bear much fruit and HIs resurrection enables us to live to bear much fruit.


This Little Dot

KATHY — Perceiving what the Father is doing may blow our doors at times.  Participating in His Original Intent for your life can include tasks and experiences that you did not see coming. The scope of your participation may be overwhelming to the point that you want to shrink back because you suddenly feel you are just an unequipped, insignificant tiny DOT on the globe!  I am alluding to one of those RED DOTS on a map that says, “You’re right here.”  If you are feeling like a DOT yourself, you see such a map and think, ‘And so what!  What possible difference can I make?’  However, doing what the Father is doing means we have to focus on Truth rather than our feelings.  The truth is that this little DOT is a son or daughter that is right here, right now, to do Father’s business.  This little DOT is an agent of agreement and this little DOT is an access point for Almighty God to bring “as it is in heaven” into this earth! 


How do we Prepare for What’s Ahead?

MELISSA—How do we prepare for what’s ahead? You’ve been made ready in ways you haven’t put together yet, but it will come together as we head further into the year. Also, we need to realize it’s just time to BE the new creation Jesus exemplified. We need to pick up the Bible and rehearse the things Jesus set in motion. We typically call those “promises,” but in our modern culture that word tends to have only a future connotation. His promises are fully alive and available for application now and where we are headed. For instance, we read in the gospels about fish and bread being multiplied to feed thousands. We need to be ready to facilitate that new creation norm. Finally, remember this isn’t all about evil being exposed. Our focus needs to be on the increasing Kingdom that is going to be revealed in the midst of the mess. “I have told you these things in parables (veiled language, allegories, dark sayings); the hour is now coming when I shall no longer speak to you in figures of speech, but I shall tell you about the Father in plain words and openly (without reserve).” (John 16:25 Amplified) The reality and mysteries of God being uncovered will be the biggest mind-blower of all! The “brainwashed zombie” in each of us will try and hold on to old logic through the upheaval ahead, but the new creation we already are will bring us through to a victory that words can’t relay right now.


A Sign in the Earth

MARTIN P GABLER—Being a sign in the earth is accomplishing something that shows our Lord’s character (His Name) in this earth. That which is in heaven comes into this earth through an earthen vessel and continually points back to its Source in heaven by what it says and what it does until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. (Eph.4:13) Don’t sell yourself short. Don’t stop short of becoming a mature man; don’t stop short of the measure of the stature or the fullness of Christ. It is a life well-lived, a life well-spent, a life of godly character for His glory that is a vessel to contain what has been imparted from heaven.


Shed Some Light

MELISSA — We are in the midst of a seriously sobering season. We are in the thick of the increase of His perpetually increasing government (Isaiah 9:7). Awakening won’t be limited to the American church’s view of what it should look like to be most effective. Awakening is going to seep through the cracks in the foundation of the American church and reform it. Awakening brings reformation. We better be ready for awakening to bring some shock and awe too! “It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret. But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them, (Eph. 5:12-13 NLT)”. This awakening is going deep. It’s going to shed light on things that have been going on under our noses but we haven’t seen it because we have been asleep. It will be shocking, but that is why reformation comes with it. Reform will deal with evil. (Melissa’s father Marty Gabler is praying for healing Friday morning and leading and speaking at KC2024 March 8, 7:00pm. Go to martygabler.com/kc2024/ for details.)


Repentance and Considering Things Differently

Kathy Gabler—After considering the meaning of repentance for some time, I came to a fuller understanding of biblical repentance meaning “to consider things differently and change your thinking”. I came to understand it to be “reconsidering for the purpose of aligning your thoughts with God’s”. As the process of repentance opened my understanding, even the phrase “the Kingdom of Heaven ” came to more meaning. I discovered that the Kingdom of Heaven was not a place with God that we can only reach after death, but that the Bible concept of the Kingdom of Heaven is His authority, power, order and ruling presence everywhere, at all times, both in eternity and the now. According to Psalm 145, His Kingdom always has been and always will be. Another major turn in my understanding then was that when Jesus said “the kingdom of heaven is at hand,” it is a major contradiction to think He meant that it is almost time to leave the earth to go to another place when He was actually saying the authority and power of God is within reach on earth! That made me realize that when Jesus healed some people, He said, “The Kingdom has come upon you.” He had a grasp on God’s order in Heaven and was pulling it into earth to heal. (KATHY is speaking at Kingdom Congress 2024 which is Mar.6-8 at Grace Church. Go to this link for details: martygabler.com/kc2024 )


What About God’s Causes?

Martin P—When Joshua saw the man with the sword in his hand he asked, “Are you for us or for our adversaries?” (Josh. 5:13) The man said, “No.” Joshua met someone who was not evil that was not on his side. He had to stop and think. We are so concerned about our causes, our comfort and our interests that we seldom stop to find out what God’s causes and interests are in a region or in a season. Many are asking, “What is going on?” I think God is asking, “Who is on MY side?” “Who truly has my interests at heart?” What is going on? What is going on is that what can be shaken is being shaken until all that is left standing is an unshakeable Kingdom (Heb.12:27). Occupy till . . . sounds like: don’t stop doing anything I have ordained you to do with any less faith, dedication, or enthusiasm. Heb 3:14  “If we can only keep our grip on the sure thing we started out with, we’re in this with Christ for the long haul.” (The Message)  Marty is speaking at Kingdom Congress 2024 which is Mar.6-8. No Fee. Click on the following link for schedule and details: martygabler.com/kc2024/)


Ever-increasing Dominion

MELISSA–Sitting here I keep hearing, “Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end” (Isaiah 9:7). This is not only a beloved Christmas time chapter, it is also laying out original intent. Looking up the word ‘government’ leads to this, Of the increase of His ‘dominion’ there shall be no end. Ever-increasing dominion is quite a powerful force! When I look at Isaiah 9 like that I just don’t think the plan is to keep cycling back around to needing revivals like we’ve known them in our lifetime. I say this for anyone who may be struggling with the term “revival” like I have. It can’t be about a formula, it has to be about the King’s dominion increasing during our lifetime.
(MELISSA is leading worship and speaking at KC2024. NO FEE. Go to martygabler.com/kc2024/ to see the schedule and all details.)


Preparation Against Weapons

KATHY—Preparation Against Weapons —  Some time ago Melissa was awakened at 5:00 am on a Sunday morning with a terrible pain in her thigh.  Something was biting her.  She was already conditioned to panic with a memory root of having been bitten in her sleep before by a brown recluse spider.  Added to that, she had killed a scorpion in her house three weeks earlier.  So conditioned, she jumped up in a frantic search to find her attacker.  Suddenly, however, the Spirit of the Lord said, “Don’t you think I have prepared your body to beat the weapon I saw being formed against you?”  She then remembered the downloads the Holy Spirit had been giving her in recent weeks concerning foods and specific nutrients to take.  Her panic turned to peace as quickly as it had sprung up, and the bite lost its threat. She found the culprit, dead from her slap, and the bite was a tiny dot by midmorning. “Be prepared. You’re up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it’s all over but the shouting you’ll still be on your feet.” (Eph.6:13)


Sons, Daughters and Ambassadors

DR. DON CRUM — The government of the Kingdom of God increases as God’s sons and daughters who are His ambassadors in the earthly realm, understand and operate more in the implementation of God’s “Foreign Policies” in the earth. Therefore, His rule and reign extend and expand throughout the nations, pulling them into alignment. Matt 13:33 Jesus also used this illustration: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like the yeast a woman used in making bread. Even though she put only a little yeast in three measures of flour, it permeated every part of the dough.” God’s Kingdom Government is permeating throughout the nations through you and me as His Kingdom Ambassadors. As God’s sons and daughters in the earth, we are entrusted with an amazing inheritance of kingly authority to legislate the affairs of nations by invoking God’s plans and policies on a massive global scale. We are rapidly moving out of the Congregational and into the Congressional in this hour. Understanding our delegated authority in Christ’s imperative. (DR. CRUM is speaking at Kingdom Congress March 6, 2024. Location: Grace Church Willis. Go to this link for schedule and details about KC2024: martygabler.com/kc2024/)


Wisdom to Prevail in Days Ahead

KATHY — Wisdom is working to equip us to prevail in days ahead over key forces like offense, self-pity, anger and fear. The power of those forces is that they condition us to defeat ourselves. Offense is stumbling and it causes us to cripple ourselves. Offense causes us to become distrustful and desert our post. We do not have to take in offense even when it comes banging on our door with every logic. Ps.119:165, TPT — “There is such a great peace and well-being that comes to the lovers of your word, and they will never be offended.”