THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

LIKE AN ARROW, YOUR FAITH POINTS TO THE TARGET OF HOPE

So many people today are depressed and discouraged simply because they only focus on their PRESENT circumstances. They’re constantly DWELLING on their PROBLEMS, what they DON’T have, and what’s WRONG with them. They don’t realize it, but they’re allowing the enemy to steal their HOPE. This negative frame of mind is what keeps people from moving FORWARD in life.

Understand today that FAITH is CONFIDENCE and ASSURANCE about the things we HOPE for according to the PROMISES of God. Like an arrow, your faith points to the TARGET of HOPE. If you don’t have hope, that arrow of faith will just drop to the ground. It won’t ACCOMPLISH anything. But when you keep your hopes UP, when you keep EXPECTING and BELIEVING, it’s as if that target gets larger and LARGER–EASIER to hit!

Choose today to live with an attitude of EXPECTANCY. Get your HOPES up! Start by taking captive ANY negative thoughts you may have one at a time. As you FOCUS on God’s GOODNESS and FAITHFULNESS, you’ll feel that hope inside you GROWING. You’ll give your faith a TARGET, and you’ll move CONFIDENTLY into the BLESSINGS and PEACE the Lord has in store for YOU!

Today’s Scripture:

“Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see.”

(Hebrews 11:1, NLT)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

YOUR MISTAKE DID NOT CHANGE ‘WHO YOU ARE’ TO GOD

When we make mistakes in life, there are three main things that we need to do. Number one, ask for FORGIVENESS. Number two, RECEIVE God’s mercy. And number three, move FORWARD with your life. Let it go and press AHEAD. So many people today are still beating themselves down over something they did five years ago. They’ve asked God to forgive them a thousand times, but can’t let it go. They go around living depressed, defeated and feeling unworthy. If that’s you, realize today the price has ALREADY been paid. The first time you asked God to forgive you, He FORGAVE you. Now YOU’VE got to receive God’s MERCY and press AHEAD. That mistake did not change WHO you are to God. My daughter has never once gotten up in the morning as a Justice and then done something wrong and gone to bed that night with a different last NAME. No matter what she DID, she’s still my CHILD. You may have made mistakes today, but because of the blood of JESUS, you are still your Father’s CHILD. You are still the apple of God’s EYE. You are still His most PRIZED possession. God may not be pleased with EVERY action, but He IS pleased when you receive His FORGIVENESS by FAITH!

Today’s Scripture:

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness”

(1 John 1:9, NKJV)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

IN YOUR FUTURE, GOD HAS PLANS TO BRING YOU TO A FLOURISHING FINISH

Everyone goes through seasons of disappointment or difficulty. We all have unexpected setbacks. Maybe you’re going through something right now that you don’t understand. Here’s the good news: that disappointment is NOT the final chapter. God NEVER ends in a negative. If you will keep moving forward with your life, God promises that He will bring you to a FLOURISHING finish. Not a defeated finish, a bankrupt finish, a betrayed finish, or a barely-get-by finish. No, in YOUR future, God has a VICTORIOUS finish.

That setback, disappointment or betrayal that seems like it’s working AGAINST you, God knows how to turn it around and cause it to work FOR you. The key is that when you’re in difficult times, do NOT settle where you are. Don’t put your roots down and think that things are never going to CHANGE. No, for EVERY setback, God has already lined up a COMEBACK. For every injustice, He has VINDICATION. For every disappointment, He has RESTORATION.

Right now, just begin to THANK Him for what He’s GOING to do. PRAISE Him for His FAITHFULNESS. REJOICE today because He has a plan to bring YOU into a FLOURISHING finish!

Today’s Scripture:

“Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

(Philippians 1:6, NIV)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

I’M NOT PERFECT BUT I’M FORGIVEN, AND YOU CAN BE TOO!

GRACE is God’s unmerited FAVOR. It’s KINDNESS from Him that we do NOT deserve. Grace EMPOWERS us and STRENGTHENS us. No matter what has happened in your past, you can receive God’s grace and start fresh TODAY. You can hold your head up high because HIS grace is enough. You may not be perfect, but YOU are forgiven and empowered to live in VICTORY.

Today, RECEIVE His grace. Don’t hold on to PAST mistakes. Jesus has already PAID for them. All you have to do is receive His grace and THANK Him. Take it one step further and extend that grace to OTHERS. Don’t try to punish people for their past mistakes; instead, give them FAVOR to START OVER. As you allow God’s grace to flow through YOU, you’ll see YOURSELF rise higher, and you will enjoy God’s blessing ALL the days of your life!

Today’s Scripture:

“My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness…”

2 Corinthians 12:9, NKJV

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

CHOOSE TO BELIEVE THAT SOMETHING GOOD IS GOING TO HAPPEN TODAY

This morning when you woke up, what was the first thing that went through your mind? Maybe you have a deadline to meet or a big appointment at work. Maybe you are facing a challenge or going through a difficulty in a relationship that seems to consume your thoughts. Today, I want to ENCOURAGE you; instead of focusing on what your CIRCUMSTANCES have to offer, focus on what GOD has to offer you. His MERCIES are new every morning, and His COMPASSION never fails. He has VICTORY in store for you today; He has PROVISION in store for you today; He has JOY in store for you today, and He has PEACE in store for you today. He daily loads you with BLESSING!

The key to ACCESSING these daily benefits is setting your FOCUS in the right direction. You can’t WAIT to see how you feel, what kind of mood your spouse is in, what the traffic is like, or what the stock market is doing. No, you have to CHOOSE to set your focus by saying, “This is going to be a GREAT day. I am BLESSED and cannot be cursed! I know GOD is directing my steps; something GOOD IS going to happen to me today!

Today’s Scripture:

“Blessed be the Lord, who daily loads us with benefits…”

(Psalm 68:19, NKJV)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

GOD INVITES YOU TO COME TO HIM

So many people today are living uptight, worried and anxious about the future, filled with frustration and concern. In the natural there may be good reason, but understand, that is NOT God’s BEST. God doesn’t WANT us to live in anxiety and frustration; He wants us to live in PEACE. You can find rest in Him knowing that no matter what is happening AROUND you, GOD ALMIGHTY has His HAND on you.

The next time you’re tempted to worry or be anxious about something, remember this verse. God invites us to COME to Him. In fact, the Bible says He is a REWARDER of those who diligently SEEK Him. But notice, we can’t just come to Him any old way. He wants us to come to Him with a heart of GRATITUDE and THANKSGIVING. Begin by simply saying, “Father in heaven, thank You for the PRIVILEGE to come before You. Thank You for HEARING my prayers.” As you come to Him with an OPEN and HUMBLE heart, He will hear you and fill you with His peace and joy ALL the days of your life.

Today’s Scripture:

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”

(Philippians 4:6, NASB)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

THE BATTLE YOU HAVE TO FIGHT TODAY, IS IN YOUR MIND

We all have giants or obstacles that try to keep us from possessing what God has promised, especially in our DREAMS. We have two choices: we can quit and live in mediocrity, or we can FIGHT and take hold of the VICTORY.

In the Bible, the children of Israel were camped right next door to their Promised Land. God had already told them He would give them the VICTORY; all they had to do was go in and FIGHT for the land. But, when they heard how big their opponents were, they had such a weak, defeated mentality that they just gave up. Their attitude was, “What’s the use of even trying? We’ll never defeat those people. We might as well just stay out here in the wilderness.” They settled for mediocrity because they weren’t willing to FIGHT.

Friend, don’t let that be you! The battle YOU have to fight today, is in your MIND. You have to change your THINKING in order to possess God’s promises. Start choosing thoughts of FAITH and VICTORY. DECLARE that you are an OVERCOMER. As you stand and fight and WIN the battle in your mind, you’ll move forward and embrace the PROMISES and DREAMS that God has for YOU!

Today’s Scripture:

“The Lord your God will thrust them out from before you and drive them out of your sight, and you shall possess their land, as the Lord your God promised you.”

(Joshua 23:5, AMPC)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

WE CAN LIVE IN VICTORY IN THIS LIFE AND IN ETERNITY

Jesus went before us and paved the way for VICTORY. Because HE lives, WE can live in VICTORY in this life AND in ETERNITY. Not only can we live in VICTORY, we can help OTHERS live in victory, TOO. We can help the people AROUND us, and we can help the people who are coming AFTER us. We can store up MERCY, PEACE and BLESSIINGS for FUTURE generations.

The life we live should make it EASIER for the people AFTER us. By living a life of EXCELLENCE, we are leaving a mark for FUTURE generations. And really, that’s what matters most in ETERNITY. It’s good to leave an inheritance, but the most VALUABLE thing you can leave on this earth is a legacy of FAITH.

Today’s Scripture:

“Therefore know that the LORD your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments.”

(Deuteronomy 7:9, NKJV)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

WE HAVE TO LEAVE SOME THINGS BEHIND IN ORDER TO EMBRACE THE NEW LIFE GOD HAS IN STORE FOR US

So many people today are looking for ways to be RIGHTEOUS or to be in “RIGHT STANDING” with God. The Bible simply says that when we BELIEVE God, that’s RIGHTEOUSNESS.

The PROOF, or EVIDENCE, of our faith in Him is found in our ACTIONS. Faith WITHOUT works is dead. That means when we really BELIEVE something, our actions will SUPPORT what we believe. Because ABRAHAM believed God, he obeyed His word and left his father’s land even when he didn’t know where he was GOING. In the same way, when WE believe God, we have to leave some things behind in order to embrace the NEW LIFE He has in store. As you let go of the old and, by faith, EMBRACE God’s promises, know that He is leading you down paths of righteousness for His name’s sake! Keep BELIEVING and keep stepping OUT, knowing that your best days are AHEAD of you!

Today’s Scripture:

“Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.”

(Genesis 15:6, NIV)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

NO MATTER HOW UNCERTAIN THINGS MAY SEEM, GOD STILL HAS HIS EYE ON YOU

Do you need to know which way to go? Maybe you are facing an important decision in your JOB, at HOME or in your RELATIONSHIPS. Know this: God HIMSELF will teach you what you should do. He PROMISES to show you the path you should take. He’s watching over you and giving you ADVICE every step of the way.

God’s not just concerned with the goal or end RESULT. It’s NOT just about getting you from point “A” to point “B.” He is with you EVERY step of the way during the ENTIRE process. He wants to see your CHARACTER develop and mature. Most times, our growth in life happens when circumstances seem to be the MOST uncertain. Those uncertain times cause us to rely MORE on God.

No matter how uncertain things may SEEM, God STILL has His eye on you. He’s making sure that you make the right CHOICES. He’s working with you to shape your CHARACTER and ATTITUDE. Remember, He’s promised to NEVER leave you NOR forsake you. YOU may not always know the answer right away, but He’s ALWAYS teaching you and LEADING you into BLESSING all the days of your life!

Today’s Scripture:

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.”

(Psalm 32:8, ESV)