THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

CHOOSE TO HONOR THE LORD RIGHT NOW BY CHOOSING TO ENJOY YOUR LIFE

It’s easy to come up with excuses to delay our happiness. All the time I hear things like, “As soon as I get out of this problem, I’ll be happy.” Or, “As soon as I lose ten pounds…as soon as my business grows…as soon as my child straightens up…” No, if you don’t put your foot down and decide to be happy right NOW, there will ALWAYS be something to keep you from being happy. Let’s get rid of the excuses and make the decision to enjoy life right now, TODAY. God NEVER intended for us to put off our happiness. That’s why David said, “THIS is the day the Lord has made! I will REJOICE and be GLAD in it.” He was saying, “This is the day to be happy; not tomorrow, not when the weather clears up. Not next week, when I don’t have to work so hard. Not next month, when I make it through this difficult time.” No, choose to HONOR the Lord right NOW by choosing to enjoy your LIFE. THIS is the day that the LORD has made!

Today’s Scripture:

“This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.”

Psalm 118:24, NKJV

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

AS BELIEVERS, OUR ASSIGNMENT IS TO LOVE PEOPLE

One of the BEST things I’ve learned is that God does not bring people into our lives so that we can make them just like us. God loves variety and He wants us to be DIFFERENT from each other. He’s given us different PERSONALITIES, different STRENGTHS, different INTERESTS and different LOOKS. He’s made us all UNIQUELY so that we can SHARPEN one another and cause each other to rise up HIGHER in life.

If you’re going to be happy and enjoy your relationships, you’ve got to learn how to APPRECIATE the differences and LEARN from the people in your life. If you don’t focus on the right things, you’ll end up allowing the little irritations to cause you to become resentful. Remember, NOBODY is perfect. If you’re going to GROW, you’ve got to be willing to overlook some things. Our ASSIGNMENT is not to fix people. Our assignment is to LOVE people. Our assignment is to SHARPEN one another so we can move forward in the good PLAN God has prepared!

Today’s Scripture:

“As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.”

Proverbs 27:17, NIV

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

WHEN YOU’RE CONTENT, YOU SEE EACH DAY AS A GIFT

God has ordained SEASONS and CYCLES in our lives. Sometimes, when our dreams aren’t coming to pass on OUR timetable, we can be tempted to get frustrated. But we have to be careful not to allow our ATTITUDE to keep us from moving FORWARD.

Understand that in God’s kingdom, every season is not harvest. Every season is not springtime, with beautiful flowers, gorgeous sunshine and cool breezes. There are PLOWING seasons, PLANTING seasons and WATERING seasons. Sure, we would love for every season to be a time of increase, but without the other seasons, we wouldn’t be prepared for PROMOTION. You have to CHOOSE to rejoice TODAY.

God has given you not only the GRACE to endure THIS season but to ENJOY the season. When you’re CONTENT, you see each day as a GIFT, appreciate the PEOPLE in your life, and are grateful for what God has GIVEN you. That is not only developing your CHARACTER, but you’re passing the TEST. You will come out of winter and into your SPRINGTIME.

Today’s Scripture:

For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.

Ecclesiastes 3:1, NLT

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

MAKE IT A HABIT TO SEEK GOD FIRST

In the Bible, David was called a man after God’s own heart. He knew God and saw AMAZING miracles throughout his life. But notice in this verse what David DID. He set the tone for his WHOLE day by spending time with the Lord in the MORNING. It didn’t matter what was going on in his life, David had his PRIORITIES set. Even though he was mistreated by his family, manipulated, made fun of, hunted down by King Saul, and even made some major mistakes on his own, David realized that each morning held the promise of NEW HOPE.

Just like David, if YOU’LL make spending time with God a PRIORITY in your life, you will see Him move mightily on YOUR behalf. Make it a HABIT to seek Him first EVERY SINGLE DAY no matter WHAT is happening. Set the tone for your DAY and set your course for VICTORY!

Today’s Scripture:

“In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.”

Psalm 5:3, NIV

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

TODAY, DECLARE THAT YOU ARE FREE, AND CELEBRATE YOUR FREEDOM

Today in America, we CELEBRATE Independence Day. July 4, 1776 was the day America declared their independence, but the battle for freedom went on until 1783—seven years later. Even though the people DECLARED their FREEDOM in 1776, they had to stand and fight for many years before the British would accept and recognize the United States of America.

Do you know what the early colonists did once they signed the Declaration of Independence? They read it OUT LOUD in public. They published it in the newspaper. They SPREAD THE WORD. They continued to DECLARE and CELEBRATE even though they were in the midst of the battle.

In the same way, we have to DECLARE our FREEDOM and be determined to stand against the opposing forces of darkness in our lives TODAY. We have to DECLARE our freedom from addiction, poverty, sickness and lack. We have to stand and fight until we fully experience His FREEDOM and the PEACE that He has promised.

Today, no matter what battle YOU may be facing, DECLARE that you are free and CELEBRATE your FREEDOM because VICTORY is on the way!

Today’s Scripture:

“You have been set free from sin…”

Romans 6:18, NIV

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

WE SERVE AN EXTRAORDINARY GOD, AND WE ARE CALLED TO BE A REFLECTION OF HIM

ZEAL is simply another word for PASSION. Sadly, too many people today have LOST their passion and enthusiasm for LIFE. At one time, they were EXCITED about their dreams and woke up every day with PURPOSE and PASSION. But now, because time has passed and they’ve experienced disappointments, they’re not as EXCITED about those dreams anymore. They’ve lost their FIRE.

Today know that God wants YOU to live with PASSION! You weren’t MEANT to live a stagnant, ordinary life. You serve an EXTRAORDINARY God, and you are called to be a REFLECTION of HIM.

The truth is, most of life can be VERY routine. We have to WORK to keep things fresh. We have to put forth EFFORT to stay passionate about our jobs, relationships and our walk with the Lord. Every day we need to stir ourselves UP. Just like the apostle Paul told Timothy, we have to FAN THE FLAME! In other words, don’t let the fire go out. Stay PASSIONATE about your life and the DREAMS God has placed on the inside of YOU!

Today’s Scripture:

“Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the LORD.”

Romans 12:11 NIV

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

WITH GOD, WHAT’S POSSIBLE IS UNLIMITED

Did you know YOU can limit your life by dwelling on the WRONG THINGS? So often, wrong thinking keeps people stuck right where they are. If YOU think you’ll never accomplish your dreams, then you’ll stay stuck where you ARE. If you think you don’t have the TALENT, the CONNECTIONS or the FUNDS, then YOU are limiting YOURSELF. Read that again. YOU-are limiting-YOURSELF!!!!

We have to remember that God’s promises NEVER return void. His Word stands true FOREVER! Don’t LIMIT what God can do in your life by focusing on what you see in the NATURAL realm. You have to REALIZE that you serve a SUPERNATURAL God, and just because YOU don’t see a way doesn’t mean that GOD doesn’t have a way.

God can bring ONE OPPORTUNITY across your path that will launch you to a WHOLE NEW LEVEL. He has explosive BLESSINGS in store that can BLAST you out of where you ARE and into a place of ABUNDANCE! Shift your FOCUS from this LIMITED realm, start looking at God’s SUPERNATURAL realm, and see His UNLIMITED POSSIBILITIES for your FUTURE!

Today’s Scripture:

“I have seen that everything [human] has its limits and end [no matter how extensive, noble, and excellent]; but Your commandment is exceedingly broad and extends without limits [into eternity].”

(Psalm 119:96, AMP)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FIRE, IS A PLACE OF ABUNDANCE AND BLESSING

In scripture, three Hebrew teenagers, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, were told to bow down to the king’s idol or they would be thrown into a fiery furnace. They said, “No, King. We’re not going to bow down. We know our God will deliver us.” Their attitude was, “We’re not worried about it. We know we have inside INFORMATION. We know everything is going to be alright.” Notice they didn’t fight it. They weren’t upset. They weren’t complaining. They were at peace. They KNEW God Almighty had His hand upon them. The guards threw them into the fiery furnace, and when all was said and done, they came out without even the SMELL of smoke on them!

Notice that God didn’t DELIVER them from the fire; He delivered them THROUGH the fire. Maybe YOU are going through the fire today. Know that God is WITH you. He’s doing a work IN you, and He’s displaying His glory THROUGH you. Remember, on the other side of the fire is a place of ABUNDANCE and BLESSING! Stand STRONG and see the FULFILLMENT of the PROMISES He has in store for YOU!

Today’s Scripture:

“…We went through fire and flood, but you brought us to a place of abundance.”

Psalm 66:12, NLT

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

WHEN YOU HAVE FAITH, YOUR WORDS AND ACTIONS REFLECT IT

A mustard seed is a very SMALL thing. But when it’s planted, it grows into a huge tree. In the same way, Jesus is saying that a little bit of FAITH can bring tremendous RESULTS! As a BELIEVER in Him, you ALREADY have enough faith on the inside of you to overcome ANY obstacle. The same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead actually dwells IN you! It doesn’t matter if you grew up in church or not; it doesn’t matter what you know or DON’T know, God wants to WORK in your life today. You may not see how, but all you have to do is believe GOD.

With God, ALL things are possible. Do you have mustard seed faith? The Bible says that faith without WORKS is dead. When you have FAITH, your words and actions REFLECT it. Take a step of faith TODAY and declare your trust in Him. Even if YOU don’t see how, declare that God is working BEHIND the scenes in your life. As you act on your mustard seed FAITH, you’ll see it grow stronger and stronger, and you WILL live in victory ALL the days of your life!

Today’s Scripture:

“If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.”

Luke 17:6, NIV

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

GOD HAS NOT GIVEN US A SPIRIT OF FEAR, BUT OF POWER, LOVE AND A SOUND MIND…..

God desires to take care of whatever may be concerning you today. He invites you to give your worries and cares to Him simply because He loves you!

How do you give Him your cares? First of all, understand that cares show up in your mind. When negative, self-defeating thoughts of worry come, you have to RECOGNIZE them as cares and replace them with the Word of God. For example, if you are concerned about a NEED today, say out loud, “My God shall supply ALL my needs according to His riches in glory.” If you have fear about something, say out loud, “God has NOT given me a spirit of fear, but of POWER, LOVE and a SOUND mind.” If you have sickness in your body, declare, “By His stripes I am HEALED.” As you meditate on the TRUTH and FOCUS your heart and mind on the Father, those cares and concerns WILL disappear.

Then, thank Him for giving you PEACE and JOY. Thank Him for WORKING in your life. As you keep an attitude of FAITH and EXPECTANCY, give HIM your worries and cares and get ready for the BLESSING He has for your future!

Today’s Scripture:

“Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.”

(1 Peter 5:7, NLT)