Not Out of God’s Purpose
Joseph had dreams. He was convinced, at one point, that they were not initiated in his own mind. Joseph is called to great responsibility. He is called to rule Pharaoh’s house. He shared his dreams and calling with brethren and as a result ended up in a pit and later in prison. He just stands there shaking his head. Now he is confused. But after a period of time, which was determined by an all-wise and all-knowing God, he stands before his brothers. They’ve come too late to tell Joseph he is out of God’s purpose. They’ve come too late to tell him that God does not step into the lives and conditions of men and work miracles. Standing before them he proclaims without a single doubt, “You did not send me here. It was to save many lives that God sent me ahead of you” (Gen 45:7).
(This is the ninth excerpt from Marty Gabler’s article “Too Late“ which was published in SEEC Magazine -Volume 4 Issue 5 [Marty and Kathy’s ministry magazine]. More excerpts will be posted Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Previous excerpts may be read by scrolling down this page.)
SEEC Ministries International (Marty and Kathy)
9th Annual Kingdom Equipping Congress
March 2-4, 2016 * NO FEE
Click on link for info and updates:
https://martygabler.com/kec2016/
The Christmas Story is the Story of Hope
The Christmas story is the story of hope — hope in the face of all that is contrary.
Christmas time is a great time to use for the purpose of remembering, memorializing the fact, that when God says, “I will….”, then God will. He will move mountains, seas and people. In Josh. 2:11 the fact and realization is that our God is able to move anything or anyone in heaven or in earth to accomplish His purposes. He is able to move in the life of an obscure girl who had no credentials or evident reason for expecting to be part of an earth-shaking, history-shaping event. Her qualities and integrity (evidenced in the writings of both Matthew and Doctor Luke) helped to place her in the middle of the road where an unprecedented moving of God was progressing like a steamroller and changing history as man had known it. That change 
was taking place through a small handful of individuals and not through some large and varied political or military movement. From all that we can find concerning this person called Mary, precious few people even knew of her qualities and integrity. It would seem that Jehovah was about the only One who saw and might very well have been the only One who noticed. And by the time she was discovered to be with child, she would have been disqualified by any who did happen to notice. Had it not been for dreams and angels intervening by Divine directive, her own husband would have done away with her.
When God promised Abraham a son it would appear that it was long deferred. Abraham most likely thought that the son which was promised was his immediate son. However, that promised Son was the One through whom the world would be blessed, the One who would be called the Christ. This Son of promise proved to be coming at the great distance of some 42 generations and about 2,000 years. Though it be long and arduous by our standards, God Jehovah is faithful in all and brings about detail for detail that which was foretold long before it was realized in this realm which we call reality. Delays do nothing to weaken the promise of God; for in what seem to us to be delays, our all-wise and provisional Father is preparing a people who will walk out His fulfillment rather than being caught unawares and overcome by His fulfillment. As we learn in the New Testament teaching of our Lord, the new wineskin must be prepared for the new wine or it shall burst and the wine and its value lost.
It is interesting to note Henry’s observation on this one point: “This son of David, and son of Abraham, who was to be the glory of his Father’s house, was born when the seed of Abraham was a despised people, recently become tributary to the Roman yoke, and when the house of David was buried in obscurity; for Christ was to be a root out of a dry ground.” From such a studious observation we could readily come to the conclusion that the performance and provision of our God comes when circumstances would place upon it the heaviest it has to offer. Ease and convenience are not the components or the ambiance of fulfillment. The Christmas story is the story of hope — hope in the face of all that is contrary.
CONCLUSION
The great majority of us who follow Christ Jesus might more easily identify with Mary than with that illustrious band that sought Him out in the city of David when He became the incarnate Christ. Our coming to Him may not have included such wonders and phenomena as shining stars; and what we brought to Him when we came likely didn’t sum up to near the total of gold, frankincense and myrrh. But we have come and we have place with Him and He is just as involved in getting us to fulfillment of purpose as He was concerning Mary.
(This is the last of four excerpts from Marty’s article “Wisemen, A Star and Somebody’s Daughter“ which was published in SEEC Magazine [Marty and Kathy’s ministry magazine].)
Marty Gabler will be giving declarations for 2016
at Grace International Church on Sunday 12-27-15.
Info and location: http://www.graceic.org
SOMEBODY’S DAUGHTER
SOMEBODY’S DAUGHTER
So far the details of the Advent have included the movements of the heavenly bodies and the timely placement of illustrious people. Mary was none of the above; and much like Mary, the great majority of us come from somewhat obscure backgrounds with reputations and merits that require Divine intervention if we are to be included in the well-designed purposes of Jehovah. It would seem, however, that most people qualify for inclusion in the Divine intentions of history simply because all the glory must go to God and not the participants. “For consider your calling, brethren, that there were 
not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble;” (1Co.25:26). Would all those who have been proclaimed throughout the land as being wise, mighty and noble please raise their hand?
While the person of Mary was not lauded and acclaimed before she gave birth to the Christ Child, she was notably prepared for her inclusion in the Christmas story. In following the lineage of Joseph we discover that he was a descendant of Abraham and of David (for the Jews looked to the father’s lineage rather than the mother’s and Jesus was referred to as “the carpenter’s son” in Matt.13:55). Matthew Henry shows us that Mary and Joseph were of the same tribe. As Jesus was not just any son, we must also realize that Mary was not just anybody’s daughter. Mary was a daughter of Abraham. Though she had no personal bragging rites or achievements to speak of, she was foreordained to bear the Son of the Most High God. The line of Abraham and David was carefully guarded by Jehovah and Mary was part of that line of preparation even though her name was not renown. People did not walk around pointing at Mary and proclaiming, “Keep an eye on that young lady. She is in line to do great things for Yahweh.” In fact, as we shall see, the house of David from which she is descended is buried in obscurity. But when we read the oft-repeated phrase “Abraham, Isaac and Jacob” we are being reminded of the faithfulness of God to perform that which He has promised. “…yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief, but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully assured that what He had promised, He was able also to perform.” (Rom 4:20-21, NAS) “For my eyes have seen Thy salvation, Which Thou hast prepared in the presence of all peoples,” (Lk 2:30-31, NAS).
When Matthew calls Jesus the son of David and the son of Abraham (Mt. 1:1) he is showing that God is faithful to His promise. God will make good every word that He has spoken including the bringing forth of Messiah through lineage that He has prepared and protected. “The LORD of hosts has sworn saying, “Surely, just as I have intended so it has happened, and just as I have planned so it will stand,” (Isa 14:24, NAS) “For the LORD of hosts has planned, and who can frustrate {it} And as for His stretched-out hand, who can turn it back?” (Isa 14:27, NAS) “Even from eternity I am He; and there is none who can deliver out of My hand; I act and who can reverse it?” (Isa 43:13, NAS) “Declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things which have not been done, saying, ‘My purpose will be established, and I will accomplish all My good pleasure’;” (Isa 46:10, NAS) “So shall My word be which goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding {in the matter} for which I sent it.” (Isa 55:11, NAS)
(This is the third of four excerpts from Marty’s article “Wisemen, A Star and Somebody’s Daughter“ which was published in SEEC Magazine [Marty and Kathy’s ministry magazine].)
Marty & Kathy Gabler invite you to read their
articles in the latest issue of SEEC Magazine.
Volume 19 Issue 6 December2015/January2016
CLICK ON LINK BELOW TO READ:
READ SEEC MAGAZINE
Considering The Coming Generation
When considering the coming generation who have set their hearts
on the Lord, instead of fearfully asking: What is going to happen to
Daniel, or to Joseph or to David?
Perhaps we should be expectantly asking: What is going to happen
to Babylon, Egypt and Goliath?
”Here am I and the children whom the Lord has given me!
We are for signs and wonders in Israel From the Lord of hosts,
Who dwells in Mount Zion.” (Isa.8:18, NKJV)
Marty on KPLE-TV
“The Journey” with Robin Durham and Compass Ministries.
Subject: “New Testament Prophecy”
TO WATCH CLICK ON THIS LINK–https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1pJT7ykeCE
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