THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

STAY AT PEACE KNOWING THAT GOD IS IN CONTROL

It’s easy to live frustrated because somebody is not doing what WE want, discouraged because of a disappointment, upset because our dreams haven’t come to pass. But God doesn’t remove EVERY frustration. He doesn’t change every PERSON we don’t like, or take away everything that’s BOTHERING us. When He says, “Be still and know that I am God,” this implies that if we’re NOT still, if we’re upset, frustrated, and WORRIED, we’re not GOING to know that He is God. Most of the time when we’re frustrated, we’re trying to change things that only GOD can change. We’re trying to BE God and fix things over which we have no CONTROL. You can’t MAKE people do what’s right or make yourself get WELL. If YOU’RE trying to control EVERYTHING, you’re going to be FRUSTRATED. Do what you CAN, then turn it over to God, and let HIM take care of the rest. Stay at peace, knowing He IS in control.

Today’s Scripture

“Be still, and know that I am God!”

– Psalm 46:10, NLT

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

GOD HAS ESTABLISHED THE END, AND IT’S NOT DEFEAT

How you start is not important. Don’t let what you think is a disadvantage or a bad break cause you to say, “If I’d had a better childhood, if I had more support, if I didn’t have this dysfunction, I could do something great.” That’s where you started, but that’s not where you’re going to finish. The beginning doesn’t determine your destiny.

The apostle Paul did not say that God will bring you “to a defeated finish,” “an unfair finish,” “a lonely finish,” or a “bankrupt finish.” God has a victorious finish, an abundant finish, “a flourishing finish.” When those thoughts tell you, “It’s never going to work out. You have too many disadvantages,” let those lies go in one ear and out the other. God has established the end, and He loves to take people who start with the odds against them and shine down His favor, give them breaks, increase them, and cause them to do extraordinary things.

Today’s Scripture

Philippians 1:6, MSG

There has never been the slightest doubt in my mind that the God who started this great work in you would keep at it and bring it to a flourishing finish on the very day Christ Jesus appears.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

IT’S YOUR CHOICE WHETHER TO DWELL ON IT OR DELETE IT

The Scripture tells us to guard our MIND. YOU control the doorway to what you allow in. You can dwell on every negative thought and every derogatory comment, or you can choose to DELETE it and dwell on what GOD says about you. If you let negative thoughts play over and over in your mind, they will CONTAMINATE your confidence, self-esteem, and future.

Why don’t you start hitting the DELETE button? Quit DWELLING on every negative thought that comes to your mind. That’s the enemy trying to contaminate your MIND. If he can control your thinking, he can control your whole LIFE—you’ll go around with low self-esteem, you won’t BELIEVE your dreams will come to pass, and you won’t EXPECT problems to turn around. If the thought is NEGATIVE, discouraging, or pushing you down, do NOT dwell on it. DELETE it. If you’re going to reach your highest potential, you have to get GOOD at hitting the DELETE button.

Today’s Scripture

Philippians 4:6–7, NIV

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

GOD IS ABOUT TO DO SOMETHING UNUSUAL, SOMETHING MORE THAN YOU’VE DREAMED

There are times when things aren’t going your way, business is down, the medical report isn’t good. It’s not your season. The good news is that God specializes in doing things out of season. He doesn’t wait for the perfect circumstances to line up, for you to have the training, for the right people to believe in you. He does things unexpectedly. He’ll make water pour out in your dry places and cause you to blossom out of season. What happened? God blessed you out of season.

Do you feel out of season as though you’re stuck in some area? Stay encouraged. God has you in the palms of His hands. Get ready for an “out of season” blessing, for an “it’s beyond my imagination” healing, for an “it doesn’t make sense” promotion. God is about to do something unusual, something that’s bigger than you’ve dreamed, where you’re going to say, “Wow, God! I didn’t see that coming!”

Today’s Scripture

Isaiah 35:6, NIV

Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

GOD REQUIRES TRUTH IN OUR INNER PARTS

Psalm 51 is a prayer of REPENTANCE in which David acknowledged a sin he had covered up. His first step was to accept RESPONSIBILITY. You can’t overcome what you don’t CONFRONT—a hidden addiction, a failure, a hurt. When you hide things, it’s going to eat away at you like a poison. David went on to say that God requires truth in our INNER parts. You can’t pretend and have God’s blessing at the same time.

If you’re covering things up, it’s not going to magically go away. When you come to God and ask for His FORGIVENESS and MERCY, He’ll begin to restore and put you back on the path to your DESTINY. David says, “Create in me a clean heart, O God. Restore to me the joy of my salvation.” He got it out in the open and asked for FORGIVENESS—that was the turning point. God forgave and RESTORED him, and David went on to do GREAT things.

Today’s Scripture

Psalm 51:3, 6, NKJV

For I acknowledge my transgression. Behold, You desire truth in the inward part.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

THE WINDS MAY BELOW, BUT YOU’RE STILL STANDING

When the ground is saturated, even a big sturdy oak tree with an extensive root system that extends beyond its canopy can be blown over by high winds. That’s because most of its roots are less than twelve inches deep and don’t have anything to anchor to.

It’s the same principle in life. We all have things that come against us—a medical issue, a business downturn, a child gets in trouble. What’s going to determine whether or not you stand STRONG and outlast these storms is the DEPTH of your ROOTS. The reason some people are always upset, offended, and discouraged is that they only have SURFACE roots. They’re moved by what somebody said or did or something unfair. They’re always being tossed to and fro. But when you have DEEP roots, when you know that GOD is in control, you’re NOT moved by what doesn’t go your way. The winds may BLOW, but you’re still STANDING.

Today’s Scripture

Proverbs 12:3, MSG

You can’t find firm footing in a swamp, but life rooted in God stands firm.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

OUR GOD IS THE SUPREME COURT ALL BY HIMSELF AND HE’S ABOUT TO RULE IN YOUR FAVOR

In the legal system, a court will rule on a case and give their verdict, but that verdict can be appealed to a higher court that has more AUTHORITY and can overrule what the lower court decided. Finally, the SUPREME Court has the HIGHEST authority, and it can overrule ANY lower court decision.

In today’s Scripture, the psalmist is saying that the enemies that come against YOU —the fear, the lack, the sickness, the addiction—are NOT permanent. Our God is called the MOST HIGH God. He IS the Supreme Court all by HIMSELF. God is about to rule in your favor. He’s about to OVERRULE some things. You’re about to get a NEW verdict. God’s about to turn some things AROUND. You’re going to see a BREAKTHROUGH in your health. Doors are going to open BIGGER than you’ve IMAGINED. God’s going to bring divine CONNECTIONS, the right PEOPLE. He’s going to THRUST you to a NEW level of your destiny.

Today’s Scripture

Psalm 9:3–4, NLT

My enemies retreated For you have judged in my favor; from your throne you have judged with fairness.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

OUR GOD IS A MORE THAN ENOUGH GOD. DARE TO ASK BIG

When God laid out the plan for your life, He didn’t just put into it what you need to get BY and ENDURE until the END. He put MORE than enough in it. He’s a God of ABUNDANCE. We see this all through the Scripture. David says, “My cup runs over.” He had an ABUNDANCE, more than he NEEDED. Yes, we should thank God that our needs are supplied, but don’t SETTLE there. He is a more-than-enough God. He wants you to have an ABUNDANCE so you can be a blessing to those around you.

Are you asking for the abundant, overflowing, MORE-than-enough life that God has for you? God says you are to REIGN in life, that whatever you touch will PROSPER and SUCCEED. Don’t pray to just get by. Dare to ASK BIG. Ask for what God has PROMISED you. Ask Him for NEW levels. Ask Him for EXPLOSIVE blessings. Ask Him to propel you into your PURPOSE.

Today’s Scripture

Matthew 21:22, NKJV

And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

BE PROUD OF WHO GOD MADE YOU TO BE

Jesus said that if you don’t love yourself in a HEALTHY way, you will never be able to love OTHERS in the way that you should. This is why some people don’t have good RELATIONSHIPS. If you don’t get along with yourself, you’ll NEVER get along with others. We all have weaknesses, shortcomings, and things that we wish were different. But if you see YOURSELF as less than, not talented, and not valuable, you will become exactly THAT. If you feel unattractive on the INSIDE, you will convey feelings of unattractiveness. That’s going to push people away. You carry yourself the way you SEE yourself.

PEOPLE see you the way you see YOURSELF. Perhaps if you quit focusing on your FLAWS and start LOVING yourself in a HEALTHY way, being PROUD of who God made you to be, then as you send out these DIFFERENT messages, it’s going to bring new OPPORTUNITIES, new RELATIONSHIPS, and NEW levels of God’s FAVOR.

Today’s Scripture

Love your neighbor as yourself.
Matthew 22:39, NIV

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

LIFE IS TOO SHORT TO LET NEGATIVITY GO ALONG FOR THE RIDE

Scripture says to give no PLACE to the enemy. That’s not just talking about forces of darkness; that means to give a foothold to THINGS that weigh us down—GUILT, RESENTMENT, WORRY, DOUBT and BITTERNESS. These things come NATURALLY. The PROBLEM is that when we allow them IN, they take up space that SHOULD be reserved for the GOOD things God created us to be filled with—JOY, PEACE CONFIDENCE and CREATIVITY. But the negative can’t come in automatically and take over. YOU control what comes into your life. You have CONTROL over negative thoughts and emotions. You have to make the CHOICE and say, “I’m NOT going to give space to negativity and let it poison my LIFE. I WILL NOT let an offense make me sour and BITTER.” Take inventory of what you’re giving space to. LIFE IS TOO SHORT for you to go through it with negative things holding you BACK.

Today’s Scripture

Do not give the devil a foothold.

Ephesians 4:27, NIV