THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

IN A WORLD FULL OF CROWS, BE AN EAGLE…..

In today’s Scripture, it compares a believer to an eagle. It’s interesting how an eagle handles challenges such as a crow. When the eagle is out flying, the crow will come up right behind it and pester it, doing things to annoy it. Although the eagle is much bigger, it can’t maneuver as fast. Instead of getting upset and trying to fight with the crow, it simply spreads out its seven-foot wingspan, catches the winds and rises higher and higher. The eagle can fly at heights the crow cannot.

We all have some crows in life—people who try to pester you into conflict, situations that tempt you to lose your peace and get upset. The good news is, you’re an eagle. You can go up higher. You can fly where crows can’t fly. But if you stay down at their level, get upset with every crow, get involved in battles that don’t matter, those are distractions. They’ll keep you from your destiny.

Today’s Scripture

Isaiah 40:31, NKJV
But those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

GOD WILL ADD UP YOUR LOSSES, AND BALANCE YOUR BOOKS

In accounting, the term balancing the books means making up for a loss. If an account has a deficit, when you balance the books, you have to first take all the losses, all the deficits, and total them up. Then you know how much you need to add to balance it. When the books are balanced, nobody can tell there’s ever been a loss.

In the same way, God has promised that He will balance the books of our lives. We all go through things that put us at a deficit—a rough childhood, the loss of a loved one, something that doesn’t make sense. If nothing changed, we would be out of balance. Life is not always fair, but God is fair. You may go through seasons when you’re out of balance, but God is going to settle your case. He will add up all the losses, the disappointments, and the heartaches, and He will pay you back.

Today’s Scripture

Jeremiah 33:26, MSG

“I will give them back everything they’ve lost. The last word is, I will have mercy on them.”

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

WHEN YOUR FAITH CAN BE SEEN IN YOUR ATTITUDE, THATS WHAT GETS GODS ATTENTION

We all have difficulties and reasons to be sour, but we can’t let those things talk us out of what God wants to do. In today’s Scripture, Paul could see an expectancy on this man’s expression that he had the faith to be healed. Paul stopped his message and said, “Stand up!” The man jumped up and began to walk for the first time.

The question is, can your faith be seen like this mans was? Can anybody notice that you’re expecting to go to a new level? Are you talking like it’s going to happen, thinking like it’s going to happen, acting like it’s going to happen? There should be an expectancy that you’re ready to be healed, ready to be free, ready to go to a new level. “What I’ve believed God will do for me could happen today!” When your faith can be seen in your attitude, in your expressions, in how you talk, that’s what gets God’s attention.

Today’s Scripture

Acts 14:8–9, NIV

In Lystra there sat a man who was lame. He had been that way from birth and had never walked. He listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

IF IT HASN’T HAPPENED, YOU HAVEN’T NEEDED IT

In the book of 2 Samuel, the prophet Nathan reminded David of the ways he had experienced God’s goodness, favor, protection, and provision down through the years. Then God added this powerful statement: “If it had not been enough, I would have given you much, much more.” In other words, “David, looking back over your life, if you ever needed more wisdom, more favor, more protection, or more finance, I would have given it to you.”

That tells me that the moment something begins to stop God’s plan for your life is the moment God will intervene. The moment you need a new friend, the moment you need a good break, the moment you need an idea, it will show up. So if it hasn’t happened yet, don’t be discouraged, thinking that it’s never going to work out. If it hasn’t happened, you haven’t needed it. When you need it, it won’t be one second late.

Today’s Scripture

2 Samuel 12:8, NLT

“And if that had not been enough, I would have given you much, much more.”

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

THE ONLY WAY TO RELEASE YOUR BUTTERFLY, IS TO GET YOUR THINKING IN LINE WITH GOD’S WORD

Inside each of us is a BLESSED, PROSEROUS, VICTORIOUS person. This person is FREE from addictions and bad habits. This person is CONFIDENT and SECURE, TALENTED and CREATIVE, DISCIPLINED and FOCUSED. But just because this person is IN you doesn’t mean he or she is automatically going to come OUT. This person has to be RELEASED.

The apostle Paul gives us the secret: “Be TRANSFORMED by the renewing of your MIND.” In the original language, the word transformed is metamorphoo. It’s where we get our word metamorphose. We know how caterpillars metamorphose into butterflies. Paul is saying that if you’ll get your thoughts going in the RIGHT direction and NOT dwell on “not able to” thoughts and program your mind with what GOD says about you, then a TRANSFORMATION will take place. Here’s the key: it’s not up to God; it’s up to US. The only way to release your butterfly is to get your THINKING in line with God’s WORD.

Today’s Scripture

Romans 12:2, NIV

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

WHEN YOU CHOOSE GOD’S PLAN, YOUR FINAL CHAPTER CONCLUDES WITH YOU FULFILLING YOUR DESTINY

Did you know that God has ALREADY recorded every part of your life from the beginning to the end? He knows every disappointment, every loss, every challenge; and the good news is that with Christ, your story ends in VICTORY! God has written out a plan to BLESS and PROSPER you. When you choose HIS plan, your final chapter concludes with you fulfilling your God-given DESTINY.

Here’s the key: when you go through a disappointment, when you go through a loss, don’t stop on THAT page in your life. You’ve got to DECIDE to keep moving FORWARD. There’s another chapter in front of you, but you’ve got to be willing to take the next step.

Sometimes, we get so focused on what DIDN’T work out that we stay stuck, RELIVING the disappointment. If that’s you, recognize that you’ve been on that page long enough. It’s time to LET IT GO and turn the page to the NEW chapter God has in store. You may not UNDERSTAND, it may not have been FAIR, but REMEMBER, the NEXT chapter is full of BLESSING, full of FAVOR, and full of VICTORY! Make the decision to LET GO of the old so you can move forward into the ABUNDANT life God has in store for you!

Today’s Scripture:

“You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.”

(Psalm 139:16, NLT)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

USE YOUR FAITH TO CONTROL YOURSELF, NOT YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES

To “be steadfast and immovable” is a powerful CHOICE we need to make. “I am not going to be moved by my CIRCUMSTANCES. I’m not going to let what others say about me steal my JOY. I’m not going to live worried about my FINANCES. I’m going to do my BEST and trust God to do what I CAN’T do. I have the grace from God to handle ANYTHING that comes my way.”

As long as you’re allowing CIRCUMSTANCES to determine your peace and joy, your life is going to be like a rollercoaster ride that’s based on what goes your way. That’s SURFACE living. God is saying, “You have to go down DEEPER in your FAITH.” Rather than try to use your faith to control your CIRCUMSTANCESS, use your faith to control YOURSELF in the MIDST of those circumstances. When you stay in PEACE, that’s a place of POWER. You know that NO weapon formed against you will prosper.

Today’s Scripture

1 Corinthians 15:58, NKJV

Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

GOD WANTS TO SHOW YOU HIS PLAN AND POUR OUT HIS BLESSING ON YOU

What are YOU doing to bring your dreams to pass? Are you getting PREPARED? Do you have clear DIRECTION? Are you taking steps of FAITH? Success is INTENTIONAL. You may not know what steps to take right NOW, but God has a GOOD plan for your life. If you’ll do YOUR part to seek Him and begin to make plans to succeed, God will GUIDE you. He WILL direct your steps. You don’t have to vaguely go through life. God WANTS to show you His plan. He wants to pour out His blessing on you and see you living a life of VICTORY.

Decide TODAY to make plans to succeed. Write down your GOALS. Make time to EVALUATE where you are in life. Evaluate your FINANCES, your CAREER and your RELATIONSHIPS. Don’t go ANOTHER week without having a plan for your future. Evaluate how you’re spending your TIME and MONEY. If you’ll go beyond dreaming and start making PLANS to succeed, God PROMISES that HE’s going to direct your steps. He will LEAD you down the path of His FAVOR.

Today’s Scripture:

“The mind of man plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps.”

Proverbs 16:9, NASB

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

OUR WORDS AND ACTIONS ARE SEEDS

Have you ever looked at a large, old tree and wondered how long it has been there? It’s amazing to think that at one point, that gigantic tree was merely a tiny seed. In the same way, our words and actions are seeds. We will always reap a harvest on what we sow.

Think about the types of seeds you have been sowing. Are you sowing encouragement, hope, blessing, love? Then that’s what you’ll reap in the future. But if you’ve been sowing criticism, judgment and anger, you’re probably already reaping a bad harvest. It’s time to start changing your seed.

Today, I encourage you to pray and ask God to help you uproot any negative seeds you may have planted in the past and begin sowing good seeds for your future. As you stay obedient to the Word of God, you’ll see those seeds grow. You’ll rise up higher and enjoy the harvest of blessing God has promised you.

Today’s Scripture:

“Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant.”

Galatians 6:7, NLT

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

AS LONG AS YOU’RE MAKING EXCUSES, YOU’LL JUSTIFY STAYING WHERE YOU ARE

It’s easy to come up with REASONS for why we can’t be HAPPY, why we can’t accomplish a DREAM, why we can’t overcome a PROBLEM. EXCUSES are a dime a dozen. As long as you’re making excuses, you’ll justify staying where you are and settling for less than God’s best.

As long as you’re blaming what was unfair in the PAST or blaming a friend for a DISAPPOINTMENT, you’ll be stuck where you are. You need to throw out the excuses and say, “I REFUSE to live with a chip on my shoulder.” If you get rid of the EXCUSES, God will pay you BACK for the hurt. Step up to a new LEVEL and have the ATTITUDE, “No more EXCUSES to live unhappy or SETTLE for mediocrity. I’m pursuing my GOALS and OVERCOMING obstacles that have held me back. I am a child of the Most High God, and I will become all He CREATED me to be.”

Today’s Scripture

Luke 14:18, ESV

But they all alike began to make excuses.