THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

THE GREATEST GIFT OF ALL, THE GIFT OF ETERNAL, ABUNDANT LIFE

Have you ever thought about how love affects GIVING? I’ve heard it said that you can give without loving, but you can’t LOVE without GIVING. Love prompts us to give of OURSELVES, our TIME, ABILITIES and RESOURCES. The Bible tells us that God IS love, and the world will know that we are His followers by the love WE show—and GIVING is what shows our LOVE! We are entering into a time in the year that the world knows as the SEASON of giving, but let’s remember to take time to focus on the greatest gift of ALL, the gift of eternal, abundant LIFE through JESUS. If you’ve never RECEIVED this gift, I invite you to open your heart and pray this simple prayer: “Lord Jesus, I come to You today, giving You all that I am. I repent of my sins and confess that I need You. I believe You died and rose for me. Be my Lord and Savior and make me new today. I receive Your love and Your gift of eternal life.” Then, go out and SHARE the gift of love with someone ELSE because it’s the ONLY gift that will last in ETERNITY!

Today’s Scripture:

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

(John 3:16, NIV)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

WHERE WOULD YOU BE TODAY, IF NOT FOR THE GOODNESS OF GOD

If it had not been for the goodness of GOD, where would YOU be? Some of you, like ME, wouldn’t be ALIVE today. Some would still be ADDICTED. If it had not been for God’s favor some would still be STRUGGLING, barely making it. You may say, “Well Mark, I’ve got a LONG way to go.” And that may be TRUE, but I want you to take a moment and look back over your life and realize how FAR you’ve come today. The same God that brought you THIS far, the same God that has kept you ALIVE, is going to carry you through ANY difficulty you may be facing. The key is to just start PRAISING and THANKING Him for His GOODNESS. Thank Him for His FAVOR and BLESSING upon you. Praise PRECEDES the victory. PRAISE brings the walls of opposition DOWN. PRAISE is the invitation for God to intervene on your BEHALF!

Today, I declare that the goodness of God is ALL OVER you! HE is directing your steps, and you are following His LEADING. I declare that your best days are AHEAD, and as you PRAISE Him and THANK Him, you WILL move forward into the VICTORY and BLESSING He has prepared for you!

Today’s Scripture:

“If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction.”

(Psalm 119:92, NIV)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

NO MATTER WHAT IS HAPPENING AROUND YOU, WORSHIP GOD TODAY, DECLARE HIS GOODNESS

Have you ever thought about what it means to continually offer up a SACRIFICE of PRAISE? That word “SACRIFICE” means that it cost you something. It means doing something when you don’t feel like it. It’s when you say, “God, I’m hurting, but I give You PRAISE.” “God, I’m lonely, but I give You PRAISE.” “God, it wasn’t fair. They did me wrong, but I give You PRAISE.”

When you PRAISE God beyond your feelings, that’s when PRAISE becomes your FAITH at work. That’s when PRAISE becomes a WEAPON. Nothing gets God’s attention any more than when you call on Him in your time of trouble. When most people would become negative and bitter, you have a song of PRAISE. You’re thanking God for who He is and what He WILL do in your life. You’re not talking about how big your problems are; you’re talking about how big your GOD is!

Today, understand that PRAISE activates God’s POWER. He commands us to PRAISE because it opens the door to His VICTORY and BLESSING. No matter what is happening around you, WORSHIP Him! Declare His GOODNESS and see His RESTORATION in every area of your life!

Today’s Scripture:

Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.

Hebrews 13:15, NKJV

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

GOD’S MORE INTERESTED IN CHANGING YOU, THAN HE IS IN CHANGING YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES

Sometimes when God is doing a work in our lives, it can begin to feel a little UNCOMFORTABLE. We may encounter people who are hard to get along with or have CIRCUMSTANCES that seem beyond our control. When this happens, instead of complaining, getting sour or trying to change everything AROUND you, why don’t you look deep inside and say, “Lord, thank You for doing a WORK in me.” See, I’ve learned that God is more interested in changing ME than He is in changing my CIRCUMSTANCES. If I choose to stay sour because I’m not getting MY way or discouraged because things aren’t happening on MY time table, that’s going to keep me right where I AM.

If you want to see CHANGE, if you want to see God open up new doors, the key is to BLOOM right where you’re planted. You can’t wait until everything gets better before you decide to have a good ATTITUDE. You have to be the BEST that you can be right where you ARE. When you BLOOM where you’re PLANTED, you’re allowing God to WORK in you, and He will be FAITHFUL to complete what He’s STARTED in you!

Today’s Scripture:

“…He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

(Philippians 1:6, NIV)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

DON’T LET DISCOURAGEMENT OR NEGATIVE THOUGHTS TALK YOU OUT OF GOD’S BEST

God is a FAITHFUL God! You may be praying for things that haven’t HAPPENED yet, but just because things aren’t happening on YOUR timetable doesn’t mean they aren’t going to HAPPEN. Don’t give up on that PROMISE; GOD has the final say. Don’t let discouragement or negative thoughts talk you OUT of it. Get your FIRE back! Get your PASSION back. If GOD said it, He WILL DO it. If God SPOKE it, He WILL bring it to PASS.

This is what the apostle Paul did in Scripture. He said, “None of these things move me.” What were “these things?” CIRCUMSTANCES that looked impossible. Persecution. People trying to talk him out of it. Negative, discouraging THOUGHTS. His ATTITUDE was, “That doesn’t change my mind. I’m not moved by what I SEE. I’m moved by what I KNOW, and I KNOW if God be FOR me, who DARE be against me? I know all of God’s PROMISES are yes and amen. I know God has the FINAL say!”

Today’s Scripture:

“But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.”

(Acts 20:24, NKJV)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

GOD WANTS YOU TO EXPERIENCE HIS GOODNESS

In the natural, when WE’VE wronged someone, sometimes it’s easier to avoid them than to face the discomfort or potential rejection. It isn’t surprising that people sometimes have this same approach to GOD. Have you ever heard someone say, “If I walk into a church, the roof will cave in”? They think they should keep their distance because of what they’ve done. But nothing could be further from the TRUTH! God’s not mad at you; He’s madly in LOVE with you! He’s waiting for you with OPEN ARMS. It doesn’t matter WHO you are or what you’ve DONE; know that His GOODNESS is what’s drawing you to Him.

Today, don’t let condemnation keep you from turning to God. Trust His KINDNESS. Trust that He wants you to experience His GOODNESS. He wants to show you His FAITHFULNESS. He’s promised He’ll NEVER leave you nor forsake you. Turn to Him TODAY and let Him pour His loving KINDNESS on you and EMPOWER you to walk in VICTORY all the days of your life!

Today’s Scripture:

“…the goodness of God leads you to repentance”

(Romans 2:4, NKJV)

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:

DON’T LET EXCUSES KEEP YOU FROM YOUR DESTINY MOMENT

In Scripture, there was a lady who had been sick with a bleeding disorder for twelve years. She went to the best doctors, received the finest treatment, but her health continued to decline. One day, she got word that Jesus was coming through her town. When she heard that, something came ALIVE on the inside. She had so much coming AGAINST her, but she didn’t FOCUS on that; she knew it was HER TIME for healing. Instead of giving up, she fought her way through the crowds and touched the edge of Jesus’ robe. When she did, IMMEDIATELY she was made WHOLE.

I wonder how many other people were there like her in that same type of situation. They were sick. They were discouraged. They had trouble. But they just watched Jesus pass by. They let EXCUSES keep them from their miracle. Friend, do NOT let that be YOU. Don’t let your CIRCUMSTANCES keep you from reaching out to Jesus. It doesn’t matter what’s happened in your past, just keep moving FORWARD. God has destiny MOMENTS in store for you. Keep pressing in, keep BELIEVING, keep PRAYING and, like THIS woman, reach OUT to Him. Know that He is FAITHFUL, and He will meet YOUR FAITH with HIS POWER.

Today’s Scripture:

“Jesus turned and saw her. ‘Take heart, daughter,’ he said, ‘your faith has healed you.’ And the woman was healed at that moment.”

(Matthew 9:22, NIV)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

GOD WANTS TO BRING YOU RESTORATION AND MAKE THINGS EVEN BETTER THAN BEFORE

In the Old Testament, God’s people were going through a very difficult time. They were being held captive against their will and mistreated by other nations. God sent this word to EMCOURAGE them and give them HOPE for their future. When the time came, God was FAITHFUL to His Word!

Are YOU going through a difficult time today? Let this word bring you encouragement, TOO. We serve a God who goes above and BEYOND our expectations. He wants to give you DOUBLE for your trouble. He wants to bring you RESTORATION and make things even BETTER than before.

If you are facing challenges today or going through a time of adversity, REMEMBER, it’s ALWAYS darkest just before the dawn appears. Your days are DESTINED to shine BRIGHTER because God is FAITHFUL. As you stay in faith and are obedient to His Word, you’ll receive DOUBLE for your trouble and see God go above and beyond in EVERY area of your life!

Today’s Scripture:

“Instead of your shame you will receive a double portion, and instead of disgrace you will rejoice in your inheritance. And so you will inherit a double portion in your land, and everlasting joy will be yours.”

(Isaiah 61:7, NIV)