THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

IGNORE THE CRITICS, FOCUS ON GOD’S LEADING AND KEEP MOVING FORWARD IN YOUR DESTINY

In scripture, many times people would come against Jesus and criticize Him. Many times it says, “Jesus answered them not a word.” He simply didn’t respond to His critics. He didn’t try to convince them to change their minds. He didn’t get upset because somebody was talking about Him. No, He just IGNORED it.

When people come against YOU, and they’re jealous, trying to make you look bad, trying to discourage you, REMEMBER, you’re in good company! Jesus was probably criticized MORE than anyone else. I love the fact that He didn’t try to explain Himself. He didn’t try to make everyone understand Him. He just stayed FOCUSED on what He was CALLED to do. He simply ran HIS race.

Friend, Jesus set the example for you and me. We don’t have to try to win the APPROVAL of OTHERS. We have to understand that not everyone is going to UNDERSTAND us. Our focus should be on following GOD’S leading and let HIM order our steps. The next time someone CRITICIZES you, remember the example of Jesus. OVERLOOK it, don’t get offended, and keep moving forward in the DESTINY God has for you!

Today’s Scripture:

“…but Jesus refused to answer.”
(Luke 23:9, NLT)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

TODAY, MAKE THE DECISION TO TAKE THE LIMITS OFF, AND LET GOD MULTIPLY WHAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR HAND

We serve a God of unlimited GRACE, FAVOR and BLESSING! He longs to show you His goodness and pour out His ABUNDANCE in your life.

When GOD sees you, He sees unlimited POSSIBILITY. He sees unlimited POTENTIAL. He sees unlimited RESOURCES. It’s God’s grace and favor in your life that ENABLES you to become what HE sees. But first, YOU, have to open your heart and take the limits off!

How do we limit God? In Mark chapter 6, it says that Jesus could do NO mighty works in a particular town because of the UNBELIEF of the people. It works the SAME way today. We limit God in our thinking with thoughts of doubt and unbelief. We limit God with unforgiveness which closes the door of our hearts. But when you choose to FORGIVE, when you choose thoughts of FAITH and EXPECTANCY, you open the door for God to WORK in your life. You are giving Him the opportunity to MULTIPLY what you have in your hand. Today, choose FAITH, choose FORGIVENESS, and choose to take the limits OFF!

Today’s Scripture:

“He raised us up together with Him…that in the ages to come He might [clearly] show the immeasurable and unsurpassed riches of His grace…”
Ephesians 2:6-7, AMP

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

GOD WANTS TO BE THE HERO OF YOUR STORY

Have you ever been locked out of your car or house? It can be very frustrating and inconvenient. Not having your keys can keep you stuck and unproductive. It steals your time and can steal your peace and joy if you let it.

In the same way, we need spiritual keys to access what God has for us—eternal LIFE, PEACE, FREEDOM and BLESSING here on earth. But we don’t have to stand on the outside and be frustrated because Jesus holds the KEYS, and He has opened the way for us to walk through the door of eternal life. Eternal life begins the moment you make Him your Lord and Savior. You don’t have to live in defeat, mediocrity, sickness, sin or any kind of bondage any longer; you have access to the ABUNDANT life Jesus came to give!

Today, if you feel stuck, locked out or defeated, remember, Jesus is the one who holds the keys. All you have to do is call on His name, and He WILL answer. He promises to hear you and will deliver you. He wants to be the HERO of your story, so call on Him today and receive the VICTORY He has prepared for you!

Today’s Scripture:

“I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.”
Revelation 1:18, NIV

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

YOU HAVE GOD’S DNA, IMAGINE WHAT YOU CAN DO

Have you ever really considered your SPIRITUAL DNA? When God created you in His image, He put a part of Himself IN you. You COULD say that you have the DNA of Almighty GOD. You are destined to do GREAT things, destined to leave your mark on this generation. Now here’s the key: He is not just the Creator of the universe, the all-POWERFULL God. He is your heavenly Father. You have His DNA. Imagine what you can DO!

When you realize WHO you are, you won’t go around intimidated and insecure, thinking, “I’m lacking. I’m not that talented. I come from the wrong family.” No, you come from the RIGHT family. Your Father created it ALL. When you know who you ARE, it changes your thinking from, “I’m unlucky. I never get any good breaks” to “I have the favor of GOD. Blessings are CHASING me down.” When you know WHO you are, you’ll start THINKING like a WINNER, TALKING like a winner, CARRYING yourself like a winner, and soon, you’ll start LIVING like a winner, TOO! Remember, you have the DNA of GOD, and that’s enough to overcome EVERY obstacle in JESUS’ name!

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE:

For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.
Romans 8:14, NIV

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

BELIEVE WHAT GOD SAYS ABOUT YOU AND MOVE UP!

Life will try to make you feel as though you’re anything BUT amazing. Disappointments, betrayals, and rejection will try to steal your sense of VALUE. You may FEEL ordinary, but because of your Maker, there’s something about you that makes you extremely VALUABLE. You’re an ORIGINAL. You can’t get any more PRESTIGIOUS than that. If you’re going to recognize your VALUE, you have to see yourself as AMAZING, as WONDERFUL. It’s not because of WHO you are, but because of who MADE you. You have the fingerprints of God ALL over you.

All through the day, you need to remind yourself, “I AM amazing. I am a MASTERPIECE. I have been WONDERFULLY made.” Don’t discount what GOD has created. Don’t go around feeling ordinary when in FACT, you’re EXTRAORDINARY. People may try to make you FEEL average. Are you going to believe what PEOPLE say about you, or believe what GOD says about you and move up to the next LEVEL?

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE:

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
Psalm 139:14, NIV

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

WHEN YOU ARE FORGIVEN MUCH, YOU WILL LOVE MUCH

Did you know that FORGIVENESS opens the door for LOVE to operate in your life? Today’s verse is talking about the story of the woman with the alabaster box of costly perfume. She was a NOTORIOUS sinner in her day, but when she encountered Jesus, her life CHANGED. She fell at His feet in worship and began washing His feet with her tears and drying them with her hair. When she received Christ’s forgiveness, love was the AUTOMATIC response. She was forgiven MUCH, and her LOVE was EXTRAVAGANT.

Do you want more love in YOUR life? Do you want to feel MORE of God’s love and have STRONGER relationships with the people around you? Open your heart to FORGIVENESS. Receive CHRIST’S forgiveness and extend it to OTHERS. When you are forgiven much, you will LOVE much, and His love will EMPOWER YOU to rise higher in EVERY area of life!

Today’s Scripture:

“Therefore I tell you, her sins, many [as they are], are forgiven her—because she has loved much. But he who is forgiven little loves little.”
Luke 7:47, AMP

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH GOD

Abraham is known as our father in the faith, but he had many obstacles coming against the promise of God in his life. God told him that he would be “the father of many nations,” but Abraham was over 90 years old before he ever saw that promise begin to come to pass. How many people today would look in the mirror and say, “No way; it’s just not happening.” But today’s scripture tells us that he didn’t consider his body. He didn’t meditate on all the reasons he couldn’t be the father of many nations. Instead, he considered the STRENGTH and ABILITY of his God!

Abraham KNEW God could make a way even when there seemed to be no way. He KNEW he served a FAITHFUL God, and so he gave all of the PRAISE and GLORY to Him! Scripture says his FAITH strengthened him and opened the door for God to move MIGHTILY on his behalf.

Today, what are you believing God for? Does it seem impossible? Has it taken a long time? Consider your God. Consider His WORD. Consider His FAITHFULNESS. Just like Abraham, let His Word STRENGTHEN you as you give glory to God. Keep BELIEVING, keep HOPING and let your FAITH open the way for VICTORY in EVERY area of your life!

Today’s Scripture:

“And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body…he did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform.”
Romans 4:19-21, NKJV

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

DON’T LET THE LITTLE THINGS IN LIFE, SPOIL THE HARVEST GOD HAS FOR YOUR FUTURE

Everyone has opportunities to get upset and be frustrated every single day. Sometimes it’s the little things—we can’t find the car keys, traffic is backed up, somebody was rude, or what should have taken an hour ends up taking four hours. Something happened and now you are frustrated and all bent out of shape. There will always be something that can sour your day, but if you are going to live in VICTORY, you have to maintain the right approach. You can’t let the little foxes spoil the vine. In other words, don’t let the little things in life, spoil the harvest God has for your future.

I’ve heard it said, “Life is 10% what happens TO you and 90% how you respond.” Make sure you respond to life with an attitude of FAITH and EXPECTANCY. Sure, things may irritate you, but don’t let that irritation last into the next moment. Let it go. Don’t try to control everything around you. Instead, release it to God knowing that His plans are for your GOOD, and He is LEADING and GUIDING you in the path of BLESSING.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE:

Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards, our vineyards that are in bloom.
Song of Solomon 2:15, NIV

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

AS A BELIEVER, NO MATTER WHAT’S GOING ON AROUND YOU, YOU ALWAYS HAVE ACCESS TO JOY

God promises that JOY is found in His presence, and if you’ve accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, then His presence lives inside of you. That means you are full of JOY! JOY manifests when you focus your mind and heart on the Father and begin to PRAISE Him. It doesn’t matter where you are or what’s going on around you, you can access the JOY that’s inside of you at ANYTIME, day or night. Know this: God wants you to experience His supernatural JOY and PEACE at ALL times. That’s why He chose to live INSIDE of you and give you an ENDLESS supply. Don’t waste another minute feeling overburdened and discouraged. Let the JOY of the Lord be your STRENGTH, and you will move forward in VICTORY on the path of life He’s prepared for you!

Today’s Scripture:

“You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.”
Psalm 16:11, NIV

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

EACH DAY IS A GIFT FROM GOD, UNIQUE AND IRREPLACEABLE

Have you stopped to consider that TODAY is a special gift from God? Sometimes, our days can be so full and busy that we forget how fragile life really IS. It can be easy to allow little things to creep in and STEAL our peace and joy. Maybe something doesn’t go our way, or someone says something upsetting. Even traffic can cause us to lose focus if we let it. We have to remember that each day is a GIFT. If we choose to focus on what’s wrong, we’ll miss the BLESSING that each day has to offer.

I encourage YOU today; don’t let the precious MOMENTS of life pass you by. Don’t wait for holidays and birthdays to show people that you care. Remember, each day is UNIQUE and IRREPLACEABLE. You have been given time that can be INVESTED or WASTED; hours that can be USED or MISUSED. That’s why the psalmist prayed to God, “Teach us to number our days.” He was saying, “Teach us to VALUE every moment we’ve been given.” As you DAILY keep a proper perspective, you’ll gain a heart of WISDOM. You’ll draw CLOSER to God and experience the FULL blessing that He has for you each and EVERY day!

Today’s Scripture:

Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
Psalm 90:12, NIV