THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

IF NOTHING ELSE, BE THANKFUL THAT GOD WOKE YOU UP TODAY

Jesus came to give us LIFE! Think about that for a minute right now. You used to be DEAD in your sins and trespasses; you used to have NO hope. You used to live in fear. But once you accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you weren’t dead in your sin anymore. You now have HOPE for the FUTURE. You are ALIVE in Christ!

God wants you to live life to the FULLEST today. It doesn’t matter how you may feel or what you are facing, start THANKING God for giving you LIFE! Even if He didn’t do another thing for us, giving us ETERNAL LIFE is MORE than enough reason to PRAISE and THANK Him every day. Thank Him for EYES to see and EARS to hear. Thank Him for the AIR that you breathe. Thank Him for LOVING YOU and making you ALIVE today!

Today’s Scripture:

“And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins.”

Ephesians 2:1, NKJV

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

QUIT THINKING AND TALKING ABOUT NEGATIVE THINGS FROM THE PAST

For all the amazing things the apostle Paul did, he said in effect, “What’s MORE important is letting GO of what lies BEHIND.” Paul had many opponents who tried to discredit his ministry with false ACCUSATIONS. Some of the churches he founded HURT him, and SOME believers turned AGAINST him. He KNEW that if he carried negative baggage from the PAST, he would become bitter and discouraged. He said, “One thing I’m GOOD at is letting go of the PAST.”

How do you drop the negative things that have happened to YOU? Quit THINKING and TALKING about them. The reason SOME people never see “what lies AHEAD” is that they’re always opening up old wounds as though they happened YESTERDAY. If you’re going to get FREE, BURY it. Make a DECISION that you’re NOT going to talk about it ANOTHER time. As with Paul, focus all your ENERGY on moving FORWARD, having DROPPED the offenses, the guilt, the self-pity, and the hurts.

Today’s Scripture

Philippians 3:13, TLB

I am still not all I should be, but I am bringing all my energies to bear on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

THE KEY TO KEEPING YOUR HEART IN THE RIGHT PLACE IS CHOOSING PEACE AND UNITY

As a child of the Most High God, your steps are ordered by Him. He has a SPECIFIC place of BLESSING prepared for you. When you live a life of obedience to the Word of God, He PROMISES to supply every one of your needs. Just as God directed Elijah to HIS place of blessing, God is directing YOU, too. He’s aligning the right OPPORTUNITIES for you and causing the right PEOPLE to come along your path to help you get ahead. He’s constantly working behind the scenes on your behalf. But you have to do YOUR part to keep your heart open by following His Word and keeping an attitude of FAITH and EXPECTANCY. A major key to keeping your HEART in the right place is choosing PEACE and UNITY. The Bible says that when we live in UNITY, there He has commanded the BLESSING. And when your heart is in the place of blessing, the REST of your life will be in the place of blessing, TOO. Today, choose PEACE, choose OBEDIENCE and choose the place of BLESSING.

Today’s Scripture:

“Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah: ‘Leave here, turn eastward and hide in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan. You will drink from the brook, and I have directed the ravens to supply you with food there.'”

1 Kings 17:2-4, NIV

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

THIS IS A NEW DAY. FREEDOM AND WHOLENESS ARE COMING TO YOUR HOUSE!

In the Scripture, Rebekah instructed her son Jacob to DECEIVE their father. Jacob turned out to be a deceiver just like HER. Jacob’s Uncle Laban had the SAME problem. He deceived JACOB. There was a spirit of DECEPTION in that family. It looked as though it would continue from generation to GENERATION. But at one point, Jacob admitted he was WRONG, and God CHANGED him (see Genesis 32). That was the TURNING point. The curse was BROKEN.

Some of the things YOU struggle with every day have been passed down to YOU. The dysfunction, the addiction, the low self-esteem didn’t start with YOU, but it can END with you. God is saying, “I’m about to BREAK its power in your family line.” This is a NEW day. FREEDOM and WHOLENESS are coming to your house. Put your faith OUT there and say, “Christ BROKE the power of this when He rose from the DEAD. It is FINISHED in our family. We are FREE INDEED.”

Today’s Scripture

John 8:36, NIV

“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

THE KEY TO KEEPING YOUR HEART IN THE RIGHT PLACE IS CHOOSING PEACE AND UNITY

As a child of the Most High God, your steps are ordered by Him. He has a SPECIFIC place of BLESSING prepared for you. When you live a life of obedience to the Word of God, He PROMISES to supply every one of your needs. Just as God directed Elijah to HIS place of blessing, God is directing YOU, too. He’s aligning the right OPPORTUNITIES for you and causing the right PEOPLE to come along your path to help you get ahead. He’s constantly working behind the scenes on your behalf. But you have to do YOUR part to keep your heart open by following His Word and keeping an attitude of FAITH and EXPECTANCY. A major key to keeping your HEART in the right place is choosing PEACE and UNITY. The Bible says that when we live in UNITY, there He has commanded the BLESSING. And when your heart is in the place of blessing, the REST of your life will be in the place of blessing, TOO. Today, choose PEACE, choose OBEDIENCE and choose the place of BLESSING.

Today’s Scripture:

“Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah: ‘Leave here, turn eastward and hide in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan. You will drink from the brook, and I have directed the ravens to supply you with food there.'”

1 Kings 17:2-4, NIV

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

DON’T GET DISCOURAGED BY THE PREPARATION PROCESS

In the Scripture, David was ANOINTED to be the next king of Israel at the age of seventeen. After this incredible PROMISE was given to him, David did NOT go to the palace for a coronation; he went back to the SHEPHERDS’ fields. He was anointed but not APPOINTED. He had to pass the TEST of being FAITHFUL taking care of SHEEP. He had to pass the test of being GOOD to King Saul even though Saul was trying to KILL him. David didn’t take the throne until he was thirty-seven. It took twenty YEARS for him to take the throne, for him to be PREPARED for where God was TAKING him.

Don’t get discouraged by the PERPARATION process between the time God puts that DREAM in your heart and the time it comes to PASS. If you keep the right ATTITUDE, every struggle you go through, every disappointment, every delay is making you STRONGER, developing your CHARACTER, growing you UP. PASS those tests. It’s getting you PREPARED.

Today’s Scripture

James 1:12, ESV

Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

YOU HAVE SEEDS OF GREATNESS, DON’T LET ANYONE CARRY AWAY YOUR BLESSING

Esau was the firstborn son of Isaac and knew he would receive his father’s highest BLESSING, which included inheritance as well as being the leader of the family clan. But his twin brother, Jacob, DECEIVED their father into giving HIM the valuable blessing. Esau took the blessing for granted until it was carried AWAY by his brother.

Sometimes we let other people carry away OUR blessing. We let what they SAY about us—their disapproval and discouraging words—keep us from who we were MEANT to be. You have to put your foot down and say, “I’m NOT going to let PEOPLE talk me out of my DREAMS or let a coworker make me FEEL inferior as though I’m not GOOD enough. I’m NOT going to let a coach, a teacher, or a counselor talk me into living an average, mediocre, get-by LIFE.” You have seeds of GREATNESS. You are DESTINED to leave your mark on this generation. Don’t let ANYONE carry away YOUR BLESSING.

Today’s Scripture

Genesis 27:35, TLB

“Your brother was here and tricked me and has carried away your blessing.”

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

YOU’VE BEEN EQUIPPED; YOU’RE EMPOWERED!!

The Philistines had ruled over the people of Judah for forty years when God raised up Samson with SUPERNATURAL strength to DELIVER them. But when Samson struck against the Philistines, they THREATENED Judah, whose leaders were so comfortable with living in mediocrity and dysfunction that they turned AGAINST Samson rather than rise up and JOIN him in the fight for FREEDOM.

How many times is God sending US a Samson but we think like the Israelites. “I’ve had this addiction, this debt, this anger issue for SO LONG.” As long as you ACCEPT the negative thing as just the way it IS, even though God sends you a way to break FREE, you’ll talk yourself OUT of it. This is a NEW day. God has called YOU to be a Samson. He has put a supernatural STRENGTH on you to break the chains and barriers that have held you BACK. You’ve been EQUIPPED; you’re EMPOWERED. You can do it through CHRIST who STRENGTHENS you!

Today’s Scripture

Judges 15:11, MSG

“Don’t you realize that the Philistines already bully and lord it over us? So what’s going on with you, making things even worse?”

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

OUR GOD IS A GOD OF JUSTICE. HE’LL MAKE YOUR WRONGS RIGHT IF YOU’LL LEAVE IT WITH HIM.

In today’s Scripture, Jesus was talking about what we should do when somebody does us WRONG. Notice the principle of FORGIVENESS: let go of what you’re holding on to, DROP the matter. It’s EASY to get upset and stay offended, but you’re not hurting the OTHER person; you’re poisoning YOURSELF. The reason that Jesus says to leave it is that you’re going to be tempted LATER to pick up the hurt AGAIN when you think about what was said or DONE. Some people pick up the same offense for YEARS. It’s not a bag they CARRY anymore; unforgiveness is a part of who they ARE.

What was done might have been UNFAIR or UNKIND, but God is a God of JUSTICE. He’ll make your wrongs RIGHT. When you LEAVE it, that doesn’t mean you’re giving IN and don’t CARE about what happened. No, you’re saying, “God, YOU are my vindicator. I’m leaving that offense with YOU. I’m NOT carrying around any BAGGAGE.”

Today’s Scripture:

Mark 11:25, NLT

“But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too.”

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

YOU DON’T HAVE TO HAVE IT ALL TOGETHER TO DO SOMETHING GREAT

Many people don’t really like who they ARE. They FOCUS on their faults, their weaknesses. They’re constantly CRITICAL toward themselves. That recording of all the things WRONG with them keeps playing in their mind, “You’re impatient. You blew your diet. You should be ashamed of yourself.” They wonder why they’re not HAPPY, not realizing they have an inner WAR going on. It’s very FREEING when you can be happy with who you ARE even though you have SOME areas in which you still need to IMPROVE.

Think about what the apostle Paul said in today’s Scripture. Even HE still struggled in SOME areas. If he would have been down on himself, he would have never written almost half the books of the New Testament and become one of the HEROES of faith. You don’t have to have it ALL together to do something GREAT. If you’re waiting till you overcome EVERY weakness and perform PERFECTLY, you’ll be waiting your whole LIFE.

Today’s Scripture

Romans 7:19, NLT

I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway.