THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

BE OPEN TO THE NEW THINGS GOD HAS IN STORE FOR YOU

CHANGE is one of the most difficult things for people to face; however, change is INEVITABLE. In fact, Mark Twain once said, “The only person who LIKES change is a wet baby.” One reason people don’t like CHANGE is because they get comfortable with where they ARE in life. They get used to their friends, job or the place they live. And even if it’s not perfect, they accept it simply because it’s FAMILIAR. However, when we are not willing to change, we get STUCK in life holding on to what God did in the past instead of GROWING and moving FORWARD into what God wants to do in the FUTURE.

Today, I encourage YOU to be open to the NEW things God has in store for you. Always remember that just because God has blessed you where you ARE doesn’t mean you can just sit back and SETTLE there. God wants to do something new IN you and THROUGH you. He wants to see you GROW, PROSPER and FLOURISH. Get ready and keep your heart focused on HIM. EMBRACE change and see the BLESSING God has in store for YOU!

Today’s Scripture:

“See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.”

(Isaiah 43:19, NIV)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

DON’T GET SNARED BY THE WORDS OF YOUR MOUTH

During the 1990’s, Jose Lima was the star pitcher for the Houston Astros. One season, he won 20 games and was considered one of the best pitchers in the league. When the Astros moved from the Astrodome to their new ballpark downtown, the fence in left field was much closer than the fence in the Astrodome. It favored the hitters and made it more difficult on the pitchers. The first time Jose Lima went to the new ballpark, he stood on the mound, looked at the fence, and the first words out of his mouth were, “I’ll never be able to pitch in here. The fence is way too close.” Sure enough, he went from being a 20-game WINNER to a 16-game LOSER. It was one of the biggest NEGATIVE turnarounds in the history of the Astros. What happened? He PROPHESIED his future.

Today, don’t get SNARED by the words of your mouth. When negative thoughts come, do NOT speak them out loud; instead, speak LIFE. Speak HOPE. Speak BLESSING. Speak what you SEEK! Speak the Word of God so you can move forward in the VICTORY He has prepared for you!

Today’s Scripture:

“You are snared by the words of your mouth…”

(Proverbs 6:2, NKJV)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

HUNGER FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND YOU WILL BE SPIRITUALLY SATISFIED

In the NATURAL, what do you do when you’re hungry and just not sure what will SATISFY you? You may try to think of what to eat, but maybe you’re not sure what will hit the spot. SPIRITUAL hunger works the same way. You may feel a restlessness or unsettledness, but you can’t quite figure out what will SATISFY it. You may try to fill that need with other things—food, addictions, people—but ONLY God can fill that hunger.

Today’s verse tells us what will FILL that hunger in our soul—RIGHTEOUSNESS. When you hunger and thirst for righteousness, which is God’s way of doing things, you will be SPIRITUALLY satisfied. But just like you have to take time to eat in the natural, you have to take time to “eat” or partake of God’s righteousness. Every day, He has a table of BLESSING set for you. When you spend time in PRAYER, WORSHIP and reading His WORD, you are PARTAKING of His righteousness. You are filling your SOUL. The more time you spend with HIM, the more He will FILL you and SATISFY your hunger all the days of your life!

Today’s Scripture:

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.”

(Matthew 5:6, NIV)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

HUNGER FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND YOU WILL BE SPIRITUALLY SATISFIED

In the NATURAL, what do you do when you’re hungry and just not sure what will SATISFY you? You may try to think of what to eat, but maybe you’re not sure what will hit the spot. SPIRITUAL hunger works the same way. You may feel a restlessness or unsettledness, but you can’t quite figure out what will SATISFY it. You may try to fill that need with other things—food, addictions, people—but ONLY God can fill that hunger.

Today’s verse tells us what will FILL that hunger in our soul—RIGHTEOUSNESS. When you hunger and thirst for righteousness, which is God’s way of doing things, you will be SPIRITUALLY satisfied. But just like you have to take time to eat in the natural, you have to take time to “eat” or partake of God’s righteousness. Every day, He has a table of BLESSING set for you. When you spend time in PRAYER, WORSHIP and reading His WORD, you are PARTAKING of His righteousness. You are filling your SOUL. The more time you spend with HIM, the more He will FILL you and SATISFY your hunger all the days of your life!

Today’s Scripture:

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.”

(Matthew 5:6, NIV)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

THERE IS NO CONDEMNATION FOR THOSE WHO ARE IN CHRIST JESUS

Jesus came to BREAK the curse of sin, shame and CONDEMNATION in our lives. He came so that we could see things the way GOD sees them. Do you know how God sees YOU? He sees you as VALUABLE. He sees you as STRONG. He sees you as CAPABLE, TALENTED and TRUSTWORTHY. The VOICE of condemnation says exactly the opposite. Condemnation is a loss of VALUE. It’s the accusing voice of the enemy that says, “You’re not good enough…you’ll never be good enough…you’re a failure.”

Condemnation is NEVER from God. The Bible tells us there is NO condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. When you embrace and declare God’s TRUTH in your life, you activate His power to OVERCOME the voice of condemnation. No matter how you may be FEELING, wake up every morning and DECLARE that the GREATER One lives in you. Declare that you are STRONG in the Lord and in the power of His MIGHT. Declare that He LOVES you and has called you according to His PURPOSE. Choose to see yourself as VALUABLE, the way GOD sees you. Embrace His TRUTH so that you can OVERCOME condemnation and live in VICTORY all the days of your life!

Today’s Scripture:

“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.”

(Romans 8:1, NKJV)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

LIKE A SHIELD, GOD’S WORD PROTECTS YOU

Did you know that the Word of God has the power to PROTECT you and keep you from doing the things you KNOW you shouldn’t DO? Hebrews tells us that the Word of God is LIVING and ACTIVE; it’s POWERFUL in our lives. God communicates to us through His written Word, the Bible, and He COMMUNICATES with us through His SPOKEN Word, which can come in MANY ways. In Scripture, God spoke to people through a burning bush, a still small voice, and even a donkey. Today, He may speak to your heart through a FRIEND, a worship SONG, or something in CREATION. One thing is for sure, when He DOES speak, your spirit KNOWS it. There is CONFIRMATION in your inner man. God ALWAYS speaks truth, and TRUTH always sets you free!

God’s Word also PROTECTS you. When you hold His Word close to your heart, it acts like a SHIELD around your heart. You hold His Word close to you by MEDITATING on it, FOCUSING on it, THINKING about it and DECLARING it. As you allow His truth to sink into your SPIRIT, it will EMPOWER you and CHANGE you. It will EQUIP you to live the GOOD life He has prepared for you!

Today’s Scripture:

“Your word have I laid up in my heart, that I might not sin against You.”

(Psalm 119:11, AMPC)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

CALL OUT THE SEEDS OF GREATNESS IN OTHERS

Very often, we see POTENTIAL in other people that they can’t see in themselves. When you speak VISION into them, when you tell them what they CAN become, you can help set the DIRECTION for their LIFE. Your WORDS have the power to push people into their divine DESTINY. I believe that the reason SOME people are not living at their FULL potential is because no one has ever spoken FAITH into them.

One of our ASSIGNMENTS in life is to call out the seeds of GREATNESS in OTHER people. Look around at who God has placed in YOUR life. Speak VISION into them. Tell them what they CAN become. Help them rise up in CONFIDENCE so they can be ALL God has called them to BE!

Today’s Scripture:

“…God…calls those things which do not exist as though they did.”

(Romans 4:17, NKJV)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

GOD’S ETERNAL GLORY OUTWEIGHS IT ALL

In this world, we ALL have troubles and trials, but aren’t you glad that Scripture PROMISES that they are only TEMPORARY? Today’s verse tells us they are MOMENTARY. Compared with ETERNITY, our troubles won’t last long at ALL! The second part of this verse tells us that when we stand strong in FAITH during times of adversity, we are building that faith and achieving eternal GLORY. When you confess your TRUST and RELIANCE on God, you are passing the TEST!

If you are in the middle of tough times today, look to God. The Bible says that Jesus is the Author and Finisher of your FAITH. He is the one who WRITES faith on your HEART and then develops it to COMPLETION on the INSIDE of you as you YIELD yourself to Him. YOUR part is to SEEK Him daily. Follow His commands. Open your heart and choose to speak His Word which is ALIVE and ACTIVE. Remember, your trials are only TEMPORARY, but His eternal glory outweighs it ALL!

Today’s Scripture:

“For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.”

(2 Corinthians 4:17, NIV)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

SET YOUR MIND AND HEART ON SEEKING THE LORD

What things do you consider a vital NECESSITY in your life? In other words, what CAN’T you live WITHOUT? Most people would immediately think of food, water and shelter; but in reality, we can’t really live unless our MINDS and HEARTS are set on seeking the LORD. Sure, you can EXIST without seeking Him, but you are called to MORE than just mere existence. You are called to LIVE…to THRIVE…to enjoy your life ABUNDANTLY! The GOOD news is that you have complete CONTROL over what you set your MIND and HEART on. YOU decide what you THINK about.

I encourage you today; set your mind and heart on seeking the LORD! Write down your favorite Scriptures and commit them to MEMORY. Whenever you can, THINK about those verses. MEDITATE on God and His infinite LOVE. Make a habit of SEEKING Him and ask Him to REVEAL Himself to you. When you require the Lord as a vital NECESSITY, you will truly ENJOY living the ABUNDANT life He has in store for YOU!

Today’s Scripture:

“Now set your mind and heart to seek (inquire of and require as your vital necessity) the Lord your God…”

(1 Chronicles 22:19 AMP)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

WHEN YOU CHOOSE TO FORGIVE, YOU OPEN THE DOOR FOR GOD’S HEALING POWER

When you’ve been hurt or offended, sometimes it’s tempting to hold on to unforgiveness. But we have to remember, when people wrong us, our battle is NOT against flesh and blood. In other words, that person who hurt you is not the REAL enemy. The Bible says that your adversary is the DEVIL, and HE knows that if you DON’T forgive, your prayers won’t be effective. Unforgiveness puts up a BARRIER in your life to the power of God. In fact, if we don’t forgive OTHERS, WE can’t be forgiven by GOD. However, when you choose FORGIVENESS, you OPEN the door for God’s healing POWER to flow through you!

DISARM the enemy in your life today by choosing FORGIVENESS. BLESS those who curse you and PRAY for those who wrong you. Look at what JESUS did—when He was betrayed, beaten, mocked and disrespected, He chose to FORGIVE. Follow HIS example, and open the door for victory in EVERY area of your life!

Today’s Scripture:

“Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do…”

(Luke 23:34, KJV)