THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

GOD WILL MAKE THINGS RIGHT AND GIVE YOU DOUBLE FOR YOUR TROUBLE

Little kids LOVE ice cream. A man told me the story about his daughter who had an ice cream cone and she was bumped by a little boy who was playing rough with the other kids; down went her cone and out came the tears when the boy laughed at her. The Father said that they usually only buy her a single scoop, but something made them say, “this time we’re going to get you a TRIPLE scoop.” Do you know that when God RESTORES what YOU have lost, He doesn’t just give you a single scoop. . . . He promises to give you MORE than you have lost! No matter WHAT has been taken away from you, no matter what you’ve lost or EXPERIENCED in the PAST, if you stay in PEACE, He WILL return to you MORE than you could ask or imagine. He’ll make things right and give you MORE than what was lost or stolen. He’ll restore DOUBLE to you!

Today’s Scripture:

“Return to the stronghold, O prisoners who have the hope; this very day I am declaring that I will restore double to you.”

(Zechariah 9:12, NASB)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

GOD PROMISES TO SUSTAIN US AND GIVE US TRUE PEACE

Jesus said in John 14:27, “I’m leaving you My PEACE. I’m GIVING it unto you.” The Amplified version says, “Now stop ALLOWING yourself to be agitated and disturbed. And do not PERMIT yourselves to become UNSETTLED.” God has done His part to give you His PEACE. As a child of God, His peace is on the INSIDE of you right NOW. You have to do YOUR part and make the DECISION to live in PEACE. When negative CIRCUMSTANCES arise and you make the CHOICE to stay in PEACE, you are showing that you TRUST God. You are saying, “God, I KNOW that You are in control. I know that NO weapon formed against me is going to prosper.” Choose to keep PEACE in your life. When you cast your burdens on HIM, He PROMISES to sustain you—that’s a place of true PEACE, a place of lasting POWER!

Today’s Scripture:

Cast your burden on the Lord [release it] and He will sustain and uphold you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken (slip, fall, fail).

(Psalm 55:22, AMP)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

WE ARE LIVING EPISTLES READ BY EVERYONE….

A pastor’s life has been described as “LIFE IN A FISHBOWL.” Everyone is watching to see how you will react in any given situation. But really, that’s true of ALL of us. Whether you realize it or not, people are WATCHING you. They watch how you DRESS, how you take care of your HOME, how you WORK, and how you TREAT other PEOPLE. The Scripture talks about believers REPRESENTING God here on the earth. We are Christ’s AMBASSADORS. If we’re to represent God PROPERLY, we should do it with JOY, with ENTHUSIASM, with a SMILE. People of FAITH are supposed to be the LIGHTS of the world. Some who LACK faith may not want to listen to what we believe, but they CERTAINLY watch how we live. We are living EPISTLES read by ALL men. Some may not read the BIBLE, but they’re reading our LIVES. As the saying goes, “Preach at ALL times; use WORDS only when necessary.”

Today’s Scripture:

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.

(Colossians 3:23, NIV)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

GIVE YOUR FAITH A VOICE, AND YOU’LL SEE GOD’S PROMISES FULFILLED IN YOUR LIFE

Every BELIEVER has been given a measure of FAITH. In order to see the promises of God come to PASS in your life, you have to give EXPRESSION to that faith through the WORDS that you SPEAK. That’s why the Scripture tells us, “Let the weak say, ‘I am STRONG”—not the opposite, “I am so tired. I am so rundown.” That’s calling in the WRONG things. Let the poor say, “I am WELL off”—not, “I am so in debt.” When you give your faith a VOICE, when you start speaking the promises of GOD, the Bible says that He watches OVER His Word to bring it to PASS in your life. The KEY is that we can’t allow words of defeat or negativity to come out of our MOUTHS. Don’t dig up your seed by speaking AGAINST His Word. Instead, WATER your seed by continuing to DECLARE the Word of GOD. As you give your FAITH a VOICE, you will see God’s PROMISES come to PASS.

Today’s Scripture:

And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, ‘I believed and therefore I spoke,’ we also believe and therefore speak.

(2 Corinthians 4:13, NKJV)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR SOMEONE YOU CAN BLESS

Is LOVE your greatest aim? How can you tell? EASY. Are you concerned about OTHER people, or are you concerned about only YOURSELF? Do you take time to make a DIFFERENCE, to ENCOURAGE others, to lift their SPIRITS, to make people feel BETTER about themselves? Do you follow the FLOW of love that God puts in your heart toward somebody in NEED? Or, are you too busy with your OWN plans? When God puts LOVE and COMPASSION in your heart toward someone, He’s offering you an OPPORTUNITY to walk in LOVE and make a DIFFERENCE in that person’s life. You must learn to FOLLOW that love as your greatest AIM. Do NOT ignore it. ACT on it. Be on the LOOKOUT for people you can BLESS. Be willing to be interrupted and inconvenienced if it means you can help meet somebody else’s NEED. YOU have what somebody needs.

Today’s Scripture:

Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.

(1 Corinthians 13:13, NLT)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

STAY FOCUSED AND FULL OF JOY NOW MATTER WHAT COMES AGAINST YOU

God is always giving us opportunities to move FORWARD in life. God wants you to grow and reach your full POTENTIAL. Anytime you take a step forward, the enemy will try to bring opposition and adversity against you. But God promises that through HIM, you can overcome ANY opposition the enemy brings your way. When you step out in faith and the opposition comes, just keep standing strong and doing what you KNOW to do. Keep PRAYING, keep BELIEVING , keep READING and speaking the WORD. Keep fighting the good fight of faith and going to church. Keep walking in LOVE and FORGIVENESS, and keep your heart TENDER. When the enemy sees that you are more determined than HE is, he’ll back down, and you will move FORWARD to new levels of VICTORY! Stay focused and full of JOY no matter WHAT comes against you. As you do, you will overcome EVERY opposition and obstacle you face!

Today’s Scripture

For a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.
1 Corinthians 16:9, ESV

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

GOD CREATED YOU WITH A PURPOSE AND HAS A PLAN FOR YOUR LIFE

Before the foundation of the world, God laid out a PLAN for your life. He created you with a PURPOSE, FOR a purpose, and He created you to be SUCCESSFUL! He has MARKED MOMENTS already laid out that are going to come across your path. These MOMENTS are NOT ordinary. They are destiny-ALTERING moments. They are designed to thrust you YEARS ahead.

Ecclesiastes tells us that time and chance come together for EVERY person. That means you will have OPPORTUNITIES to meet the right PEOPLE, opportunities to advance in your CAREER, and opportunities to fulfill your DREAMS. God has already prearranged for you times of INCREASE, PROMOTION and BLESSING.

Today, open your eyes of FAITH and see the GOOD things God has in store for YOUR future. Thank Him for what He’s DOING and what He’s ABOUT to do. Thank Him for divine CONNECTIONS and marked MOMENTS because He is ready and willing to fulfill EVERY dream and DESIRE He’s placed within your heart!

Today’s Scripture:

…time and chance happen to them all

Ecclesiastes 9:11, AMP

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

WHEN YOU DILIGENTLY SEEK GOD, YOU WILL FIND HIM…..

When God is first place in your life, and you make pleasing Him your highest PRIORITY, then you can fully expect to live a BLESSED, FULFILLED life! In today’s verse, notice who God rewards. It’s not people who half-heartedly seek Him. It doesn’t say “people who only think about Him when they’re having a problem;” or “people who will only come to church when something special is going on.” No, God rewards people who EARNESTLY seek after Him. That means we are DETERMINED. We get up EVERY morning and thank Him for His goodness. We go through the day MEDITATING on His promises. We give Him PRAISE in the good times AND the tough times. We are constantly STRETCHING, GROWING, LEARNING and STRIVING to KNOW Him better.

Today, remember, when you DILIGENTLY seek God, He PROMISES that a reward is coming. He promises He will give you STRENGTH, WISDOM, FAVOR, good BREAKS, PROMOTION, HEALING and RESTORATION. When you seek Him with your WHOLE heart, you will FIND Him, and you won’t be able to OUTRUN His goodness and blessing!

Today’s Scripture:

“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him”

(Hebrews 11:6, NIV)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

SEEKING THE LORD IS A VITAL NECESSITY

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:

DON’T WASTE ANOTHER SECOND, LIVE THE ABUNDANT LIFE JESUS CAME TO GIVE TODAY, AND EVERY DAY!

Are you living the ABUNDANT life Jesus came to give? I’m not talking about living in the fanciest house or driving the newest car. No, His promise of abundant LIFE goes WAY beyond material things that this world offers. ABUNDANT life means “life to the FULL.” That means no matter what is going on AROUND you, you can partake of the full BLESSINGS of God. You can have PEACE in the midst of a storm. You can have JOY when things are uncertain. You can have HOPE when circumstances seem hopeless. As BELIEVERS, a lot of times it’s easy to look at that verse and think, “God is going to give me abundant life SOMEday.” But the truth is that God wants you to have abundant life TODAY! Don’t waste another second living in mediocrity or settling for less than God’s BEST. Receive His blessings by faith TODAY. Receive His HOPE, JOY, STRENGTH and FAVOR. Declare that you ARE living the abundant life TODAY and EVERY day!

Today’s Scripture:

“…I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”

(John 10:10, NKJV)