THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

WHEN YOU CHOOSE LOVE, YOU SHOW THE WORLD GOD IS FIRST PLACE IN YOUR LIFE

There is tremendous power in LOVE! In the same way that a tree will grow taller and STRONGER when its roots grow deep, YOU will be stronger and rise HIGHER when you are rooted and ESTABLISHED in LOVE.

How do you establish yourself in love? It starts by making a CHOICE. When you choose to say “YES” to love, you are saying “yes” to everything GOD because God IS love! Then, EVERYDAY choose to LOVE through your ACTIONS by modeling your life according to I Corinthians 13. That means choosing to be PATIENT and KIND. It means NOT seeking your own way, NOT being jealous or boastful. When you choose love, you are showing the world that GOD is first place in your life. The more you choose to WALK in love, the deeper and stronger your ROOTS will grow.

Remember, love is the GREATEST thing. It is ALL that will last in eternity. Choose to ESTABLISH yourself in love and let it be FIRM within you. Let His love build SECURITY in you and EMPOWER you to live the life of BLESSING He has in store for you.

Today’s Scripture:

“…May you be rooted deep in love and founded securely on love.”

Ephesians 3:17, AMP

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

WHEN YOU’RE IN GOD’S WILL, THERE WILL BE JOY ON THE INSIDE

When you love what you do, it doesn’t mean you don’t work hard or that you don’t have to deal with some frustrating days and PEOPLE. That’s all a part of life. But ULTIMATELY, God can help you ENJOY what you’re doing. When you’re in God’s will, there will be a joy on the INSIDE. Deep down in your spirit, you will feel a sense of ACCOMPLISHMENT. You’ll live the best life that God INTENDED for you. If you’ll live a FOCUSED life with your PRIORITIES in order and clear GOALS for the FUTURE, there’s NO limit to what God will do! He’ll take you places that you’ve never even DREAMED of. You’ll experience the ABUNDANT life He has in store for you. Your deepest desire should be to follow God’s perfect WILL so that one day, you can look back and say, “THIS is why God put me here.”

Today’s Scripture

Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.

Colossians 3:23, NLT

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

GOD IS BIGGER THAN YOUR PROBLEMS, AND BIGGER THAN FEAR

Fear always presents itself as much bigger than it really is. It’s always the worst-case scenario. It always tries to get you worried, anxious, uptight and panicked. Fear’s goal is to separate you from God by trying to get you to doubt His Word. But when the spirit of fear comes, RECOGNIZE that it has no power unless you GIVE it power. Don’t give it power by speaking what FEAR speaks. Don’t give it power by meditating on it. Instead, let the POWER of the Word of God rise up WITHIN you. DECLARE what God says; declare that God has given you ALL AUTHORITY in heaven AND earth. Declare that NO weapon formed against you shall prosper.

Remember that no matter how big fear PRESENTS itself, it’s no match for the power of Almighty GOD. When you yield yourself to HIM, you tap into His POWER. Greater is He that is in YOU than he that is in the world. God is BIGGER than your problems and bigger than FEAR. Let FAITH rise up in your heart because faith is the victory that OVERCOMES the world.

Today’s Scripture

For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world-our faith.

1 John 5:4, NASB

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

GOD DOESN’T WANT TO SEE YOU SETTLING FOR ANYTHING LESS THAN HIS VERY BEST

When you look out into your FUTURE, what do you see? What are the DREAMS and DESIRES that you hold close to your heart?

So many people start with BOLD dreams, but then opposition comes. Life doesn’t turn out the way THEY planned. They lose a loved one or encounter difficulty they didn’t anticipate. Today, if that’s you, I want to remind you that the Creator of the universe designed you with specific GIFTS and TALENTS that no one else has. He has you on this planet for a specific PURPOSE. When you commit your life to HIM, He PROMISES to be with you WHEREVER you go. Even though some things in life may have caught YOU by surprise, they didn’t catch GOD by surprise. His GOOD plan for your life REMAINS. You can trust HIM because He LOVES you with an EVERLASTING love, and He doesn’t want to see you settling for anything less than His very BEST.

I want to encourage you to be BOLD, be STRONG and be COURAGEOUS. Put ASIDE the past and lift up your eyes to JESUS. He is the Author and Finisher of your FAITH. Live BOLDLY and DREAM boldly so you can embrace the GOOD things He has in store for YOU!

Today’s Scripture:

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

(Joshua 1:9, NKJV)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

RELEASE ALL THE BITTERNESS—GOD PROMISES TO GIVE YOU A NEW BEGINNING!

Too many people today spend their days looking in the rearview mirror of their lives. You don’t have to DENY that painful things have happened to you. If you have lost a job, been mistreated, or had a loved one die, those are real hurts. What we are saying is that you need to leave those things in the PAST and MOVE ON. If you carry those disappointments around with you, you are going to start each day telling yourself, “God couldn’t possibly have anything good for me today because of what happened yesterday.” You have to LET GO of any SHATTERED DREAMS, quit dwelling on any disappointments, and FORGIVE the people who have hurt you. RELEASE all that bitterness—God promises to give you a NEW beginning!

Today’s Scripture

…He has sent me…to comfort all who mourn…to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes…

Isaiah 61:1-3, NIV

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

A RELAXED ATTITUDE WILL LENGTHEN YOUR LIFE

Throughout life, there will always be something that will try to take our JOY. If it’s not a grumpy salesperson, it’s a family member aggravating you, traffic is backed up, your flight is delayed, or your spouse is taking too long. Don’t go the next 20 years allowing the same people and the same CIRCUMSTANCES to frustrate you. Change your approach. What’s upsetting you now doesn’t have to upset you anymore. You can choose to keep your cool and stay CALM and STEADY. Remember, a relaxed attitude is going to lengthen your life. The next time you’re tempted to be upset, ask yourself, “Is this really worth giving up my joy over?”

If you’ll make this DECISION not to give away your joy and live each day happy, God promises you’ll be STRONG; you’ll have more PEACEFUL relationships, and you’ll ACCOMPLISH more. He says a JOYFUL heart is good medicine! Hold on to your joy and let it heal your heart so you can experience the BLESSINGS He has in store for you!

Today’s Scripture:

A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

Proverbs 17:22, ESV

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

IT IS NOT GOD’S WILL FOR US TO LIVE IN ANXIETY AND FRUSTRATION

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:

ENJOY TODAY AND EVERY DAY AS A GIFT FROM GOD

A seventeenth-century monk named Brother Lawrence found the answer to enjoying the nitty-gritty of everyday life. He was a humble cook in a French monastery, but he authored a book entitled, “Practicing the Presence of God.” In it he explained how he was able to turn even the most commonplace and menial tasks, such as preparing meals and washing dishes, into acts of PRAISE and COMMUNION with God. The key, he wrote, was NOT to change what you do, but to change your ATTITUDE toward what you do. When you begin doing these tasks, realize that you are doing them for GOD. Use it as an OPPORTUNITY to WORSHIP Him through acts of SERVICE. When you do, you will discover PLEASURE even in taking out the trash. So don’t let the enemy deceive you into thinking that you must get away from your daily routine in order to truly enjoy life. Don’t wait for your next vacation—enjoy TODAY and EVERY day as a gift from God. Enjoy getting up and eating breakfast. Enjoy going to work. Enjoy mowing the lawn. Enjoy going to the grocery store. Enjoy washing the dishes. You have to do these things ANYWAY—why not CHOOSE to ENJOY them? When you do, you will go through life with a SMILE on your face, a spring in your step, and ENJOY the ABUNDANT, OVERFLOWING life of VICTORY that God has in store for you.

Today’s Scripture

“…I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance [to the full, till it overflows].”

John 10:10 AMP

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

GOD HAS GREATER LEVELS OF HIS FAVOR AND BLESSING IN STORE FOR YOUR FUTURE

Oftentimes, people set their focus on what God has done in the past—how He parted the Red Sea or stopped the sun for Joshua or fed thousands of people with just a little boy’s small lunch. Yes, God has performed many AMAZING miracles throughout history. And it’s important that we give Him PRAISE, but at the same time, we also have to look forward to what God wants to do in our lives TODAY.

In today’s verse, Paul says that “in the ages to come” God would do things that EXCEED anything He’s ever done before. I believe that the “ages to come” is this day and time we’re living in RIGHT NOW. God wants to outdo Himself in OUR generation!

Remember, God is a God of INCREASE. Where you are today is NOT where you are supposed to STAY. He has GREATER levels of His favor and blessing in store for your FUTURE. Dare to dream BIG! Dare to keep a God-sized VISION in front of you! Dare to take hold of EVERY spiritual blessing He has in store for you!

Today’s Scripture:

“But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us…raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”

(Ephesians 2:4-7, NKJV)