THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

KEEP YOUR EYES FOCUSED ON WHAT GOD HAS FOR YOU

In scripture, King Saul had some people come against him. They were making fun of him. He could have easily become DISTRACTED and lost his FOCUS. He could have defended himself saying, “I’m a good leader. I have what it takes.” But what did he do? He kept SILENT. One translation says, “He paid them NO mind.”

Friend, sometimes that’s what YOU have to do when people are coming against YOU. You have to realize that some people are just jealous. Not everyone is going to have your best interest at heart. But don’t let THEM control YOUR DESTINY. Don’t let them distract you from God’s BEST. Instead of playing up to people or trying to win over ALL your critics, keep your eyes FOCUSED on what GOD has for you. Spend time with people who see what God is DOING in you. FOCUS on those who will CELEBRATE you. IGNORE the critics so you can be ALL that God has CALLED you to be.

Today’s Scripture:

“But some scoundrels said, ‘How can this fellow save us?’ They despised him and brought him no gifts. But Saul kept silent.”

(1 Samuel 10:27, NIV)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

YOU HAVE TREASURE ON THE INSIDE, DON’T GIVE IT TO SWINE

Do you realize you have TREASURE on the inside of you? You COULD say that your PEARLS are what God has given you to be a BLESSING to the world AROUND you—your GIFTS, TALENTS and ABILITIES. When you get around TRUE friends, people who really BELIEVE in you, they won’t be jealous of your gifts. They won’t constantly question who you are. They won’t try to talk you out of your dreams. It will be just the opposite. They’ll help you POLISH your pearls, so to speak. They’ll help you DEVELOP and GROW your pearls. In other words, they’ll give you IDEAS. They’ll connect you with PEOPLE they know. They’ll help push you further along. If you stay around people who DON’T value your gifts nor appreciate what you have to offer, that’s casting your pearls among SWINE. Swine don’t value pearls; they TRAMPLE on them.

Your inner circle, those who are CLOSEST to you, should be people who CELEBRATE who you are; people who are happy when you SUCCEED. They should be people who believe the very BEST in you. Remember, it’s not the QUANTITY of friends that’s important, it’s the QUALITY of friends. Choose your friends WISELY so you can be all that God has CALLED you to be.

Today’s Scripture:

“…do not throw your pearls before swine…”

Matthew 7:6, NASB

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

GOD’S PROMISES ARE WRITTEN ON YOUR HEART

In the Old Testament, God’s commands were written on stone tablets and kept in the tabernacle. Today, when we accept Jesus as our personal Lord and Savior, WE become His temple. He lives in US and engraves His promises and commands on our HEARTS.

How do we know? This verse goes on to say that it’s because your CONSCIENCE, or INNER man, has a more POWERFUL knowing of what is right and what is wrong. It becomes more CLEAR what you should and shouldn’t do. Because you are drawn to follow the Word of God, you know that the Spirit of God is on the INSIDE of you GUIDING and DIRECTING you. Every time you follow His leading, your ability to hear and know Him is STRENGTHENED. However, if you choose to BYPASS that prompting on the inside, your heart can become HARDENED which will affect your ability to hear Him in the FUTURE.

Make the decision today to FOLLOW that inner leading of the Spirit. He ALWAYS has your best interest at heart. He wants you to stay CLOSE to Him. He wants you to follow HIM which is why His promises are written on your HEART!

Today’s Scripture:

“They demonstrate that God’s law is written in their hearts…”

Romans 2:15, NLT

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

GOD WANTS TO POUR OUT HIS FAVOR ON YOU AND CAUSE EVERYTHING YOU TOUCH TO PROSPER

God is a GOOD God, and He has good GIFTS for His children! He wants to bless you with PROVISION and supply all of your NEEDS according to HIS riches in glory. He wants to pour out His abundant FAVOR on you and cause EVERYTHING you touch to PROSPER. He wants to bless you with SPIRITUAL gifts and make you STRONG in your inner man. He wants you to ENJOY your job and be PROUD of your WORK each day. These are ALL gifts from God.

Every good gift from God is meant to draw us CLOSER to Him. He is good and FAITHFUL, and He is a rewarder of those who diligently SEEK Him. Seek Him TODAY and experience the life of blessing He has in store for YOU!

Today’s Scripture:

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father…”

James 1:17, NKJV

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

KEEP THE RIGHT PICTURES IN YOUR IMAGINATION

One of the KEYS to your dreams coming to pass is to see them coming to pass in your mind’s eye FIRST!

One of the greatest baseball players of our time told about how that all through the day he ENVISIONS himself hitting the ball. BEFORE he gets up to the plate, he VISUALIZES getting on base. He has a PICTURE in his MIND of himself SUCCEEDING. It’s gotten deep down on the INSIDE of him and now he’s MOVING toward it.

Of course, it takes more than JUST visualization to see our dreams come to pass. It takes OBEDIENCE; it takes PRAYER, and it has to be a part of GOD’S plan for our lives. But if you’ll keep the RIGHT pictures in your IMAGINATION, seeing yourself rising HIGHER, seeing yourself HEALTHY and WHOLE, that VISION is going to get deep down on the inside and set the course for your LIFE! When your MIND is in agreement with God’s WORD, it will help guide you toward your DESTINY!

Today’s Scripture:

“Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.”

1 Timothy 6:12, NIV

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

GOD IS FAUTHFUL TO HIS WORD AND HE WILL ALWAYS BE FAITHFUL TO YOU

Have you been crying out to the Lord for something? Maybe there’s a situation in your life that’s been overwhelming, and you feel like you’ve done everything you know to do but can’t see a way through. Be ENCOURAGED today because we serve a God of JUSTICE! He is FAITHFUL to His Word, and He will ALWAYS be faithful to you.

Not only is He a God of justice, He is your VINDICATOR. One thing we have to remember is that our battle is NOT with the person who may have wronged us. Scripture says that the enemy of our souls, the ACCUSER of the brethren, is our ULTIMATE enemy. Know today that God ALREADY has a plan; He already knows the FUTURE, and He WILL bring about JUSTICE! Before eternity is through, He WILL right the wrongs that have been done to you.

Your part is to RELEASE the situation into HIS capable hands. YOU don’t have to straighten everybody out or right the WRONGS in your life; that’s GOD’S job. Trust HIM with your future because the God of JUSTICE is working things out on your behalf!

Today’s Scripture:

“And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night?…”

Luke 18:7, NIV

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

IF GOD HAS CALLED YOU TO DO SOMETHING, HE’S ALREADY EQUIPPED YOU TO DO IT

God has given each of us GIFTS, and He’s given us the GRACE, the supernatural power to OPERATE in those gifts. In other words, if God has called you to DO something, He has EQUIPPED you by His GRACE.

Scripture says that His yoke is EASY and His burden is LIGHT. That means when we are doing what we are CALLED to do, when we are operating in our GIFT, there will be an “EASINESS” about it. That doesn’t mean there won’t be any opposition. It doesn’t mean there won’t be obstacles or that it won’t take effort on your part. But what it DOES mean is that you will have a supernatural EMPOWERMENT to do it. It will just come NATURALLY and FLOW out of you.

If you are doing something that always seems hard, always seems heavy and drains the energy out of you, you might want to spend some time in prayer before God and see if that’s REALLY what He has for you. Just because it’s a “GOOD” thing doesn’t mean it’s a “GOD” thing. But when it IS God, you’ll know it. You’ll feel His supernatural GRACE EMPOWERING you and REFRESHING you EVERY STEP of the way.

Today’s Scripture:

“We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us…”

Romans 12:6, NIV

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

ON TOUCH OF GOD’S FAVOR AND THINGS WILL TOTALLY TURN AROUND

I heard about this man who was upset because his boss was really against him. The boss was always trying to make him look bad and would never give him any kind of recognition. The truth is that his boss was jealous of him. But, this man just kept being his best, working unto God. There were several promotions that he should have received, but because of this unfair boss, he was passed over.

One day the CEO of the corporation was in town, and this man had to make a presentation. The CEO was very impressed. About a year later, a position became available that should have gone to the man’s boss, but the CEO bypassed the boss and called this man directly. Today, instead of working for the unfair boss, the tables have turned. The boss is working for him.

Always remember, PROMOTION comes from the Lord. When you stay FAITHFUL and keep a right ATTITUDE, that’s when God will PROMOTE you. One touch of His FAVOR and things will TOTALLY turn around! Keep ABIDING. Keep being FAITHFUL. Stay on that HIGH road. God will make your wrongs RIGHT and PROMOTE you in YOUR due season!

Today’s Scripture:

For exaltation (promotion) comes neither from the east nor from the west nor from the south. But God is the Judge: He puts down one, and exalts another

Psalm 75:6-7, NKJV

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

YOU ARE EQUIPPED AND EMPOWERED BY THE CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE

God has EQUIPPED you with everything you need to fulfill your destiny through His WORD. The scripture tells us that as BELIEVERS in Jesus Christ, we are ANOINTED. The word “anointing” is the power of God that gives you COURAGE, STRENGTH and ABILITY. When you put the Word of God in you, you are RECEIVING that anointing, you are building your FAITH, and you are being equipped for EVERY good work.

The next time you start to wonder if you have what it takes, go to God’s Word and stir up your FAITH. Focus on His TRUTH which says that you are WELL ABLE to do what He has called you to do. You can accomplish your GOALS. You have the IDEAS, the CREATIVITY and TALENT to be SUCCESSFUL. You can overcome EVERY obstacle! You’ve been armed with STRENGTH for every battle, and the forces that are WITH you are GREATER than the forces that are AGAINST you!

Today, don’t settle where you ARE. Don’t settle for a weak, defeated mentality. Instead, have the attitude that “I am ANOINTED. I CAN accomplish my DREAMS. I can overcome ANY obstacle. I am EQUIPPED and EMPOWERED by the Creator of the UNIVERSE! I am able to live the ABUNDANT life God has in store for ME!”

Today’s Scripture:

“Every Scripture is God-breathed…so that the man of God may be complete and proficient, well fitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

2 Timothy 3:16-17, AMPC

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

WHEN YOU RELY ON GOD’S GRACE, THAT’S WHEN YOU’RE AT YOUR STRONGEST

Everyone has days when they feel weak or times when they feel overwhelmed. But God has given us His GRACE to carry us through these difficult times and EMPOWER us to move forward in VICTORY.

Scripture says God’s grace is SUFFICIENT. The word sufficient simply means COMPETENT, ENOUGH or QUALIFIED. That means you ALWAYS have whatever you NEED by His grace. You will NEVER face anything that God’s grace cannot EMPOWER you to move through. We serve a God who is MORE than enough, and His GRACE is more than enough, TOO! Anytime you feel weak, remember, when you rely on His grace, that is when you are at your STRONGEST. When you feel like you can’t go on, that’s when He will CARRY you by His GRACE.

Today, remember, no matter WHAT you may be facing, you’re NOT facing it alone. You are not without HOPE, you are not without RESOURCES, and you are not without ANSWERS because His grace is SUFFICIENT! His grace is ALL you need to be EQUIPPED to move forward into His victory.

Today’s Scripture:

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness…”

2 Corinthians 12:9, NIV