THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

SHOW HONOR TO OTHERS JUST LIKE THE WISE MEN DID TO BABY JESUS

Can you imagine how the wise men felt as they first looked upon our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! As part of their WORSHIP, they wanted to give Him gifts. They gave valuable PRESENTS to symbolize the LOVE, HONOR and APPRECIATION in their hearts. In the same way, you show your love and appreciation to God with gifts of WORSHIP, and you can show your love and appreciate to OTHERS by the gifts you bring.

As you celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ during this holiday season, don’t just focus on the gifts you bring in the NATURAL; focus on gifts of LOVE, KINDNESS and ENCOURAGEMENT. Go out of your way to show HONOR to others just like the wise men went out of their way to show honor to JESUS. When you walk in LOVE and PEACE, that is the place of BLESSING.

Today’s Scripture:

“On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him gifts…”

Matthew 2:11, NIV

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

KNOW YOUR GOD GIVEN DESTINY AND PICK YOUR BATTLES ACCORDINGLY……

In order to live the life of VICTORY God has promised, you have to be very selective about what you give your TIME and ATTENTION to. You have to recognize which THOUGHTS to ignore, which COMMENTS to ignore, and sometimes, which PEOPLE to ignore. Every “BATTLE” that comes across your path is not a battle that you’re supposed to fight. Many battles are simply DISTRACTIONS to try to lure you off course. If that battle is not between you and your God-given DESTINY, it’s a battle you should IGNORE.

Many people get thrown off course because they are always trying to straighten everyone else out or win their approval. But if that’s your FOCUS, you are wasting valuable time and energy that you should be using to pursue your DREAMS. Turn away from that DISTRACTION! You don’t need the approval of everyone around you; you only need God’s approval!

Friend, it’s very freeing when you realize you don’t have to fight EVERY battle. You don’t have to straighten people out. You don’t have to pay somebody back. Instead, FOCUS on what matters, FOCUS on God and His Word so you can live in PEACE and HAPPINESS every day of your life!

Today’s Scripture:

“Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word.”

(Psalm 119:37, NIV)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

GOD KNEW EVERY WRONG TURN WE WOULD MAKE IN LIFE, AND HE ALREADY HAS A DETOUR FIGURED OUT

Oftentimes, I hear people say, “Mark, I’ve just blown it so many times. I had this major setback. I just don’t see how I could ever get to where I’m supposed to be.”

But we have to realize—our mistakes are NOT that POWERFUL. Our mistakes are NOT too big for God. He’s not up in the heavens shaking His head saying, “I never dreamed they would do that. They’ve ruined My plan.” No, God knew EVERY mistake we would ever make. He knew every wrong turn, and He’s already prepared a new route. He already has your detour figured out.

Scripture says that God knows the end from the beginning. If you’ve made some mistakes, the good news is that He has ALREADY planned a way to get you back on track! Just come to Him with an open and humble heart. Let Him wash you clean and make you new. Your mistakes are NOT bigger than God. He loves you and has a good plan in store for you!

Today’s Scripture:

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.”

(Jeremiah 29:11, NKJV)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

GOD IS STILL WORKING BEHIND THE SCENES ON YOUR HIDDEN DREAMS

God knows the SECRET PETITIONS of your heart. He knows every hidden DREAM He’s placed within you. He knows the things that you haven’t told anyone about. Maybe you thought they would never come to pass, or maybe you buried them because they didn’t happen on YOUR timetable. Maybe, in the natural, you have EVERY reason to give up on those dreams.

Be ENCOURAGED today — God is still working behind the scenes! He still has a plan to bring those dreams to pass. Do what today’s verse says and DELIGHT yourself in Him. The word “delight” actually means “to make yourself soft and pliable.” It paints the picture of God as the Potter and you as the clay. Allow God to mold and shape your character today. Allow Him to direct your PLANS and IDEAS. Keep an attitude of FAITH and EXPECTANCY, and as you submit your ways to the Lord and follow His leading, He WILL fulfill those secret petitions of your heart!

Today’s Scripture:

“Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He will give you the desires and secret petitions of your heart.”

Psalm 37:4, AMP

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

WHEN YOU ARE PART OF THE FAMILY OF GOD, YOU ARE NEVER, ALONE

Most EVERYONE goes through times in life when they feel a little lonely or wonder where they belong. God designed FAMILY to always be a place of LOVE and ACCEPTANCE. Maybe you didn’t come from an environment like that, or maybe you’ve been AWAY from your family. Maybe they are no longer around. God STILL desires to meet that need for family. The Bible says that HE is the Father to the fatherless, and He places the SOLITARY in families. God wants to give you a circle of people you can TRUST who will EMBRACE and ACCEPT you.

If you need family today, ask God to meet that need and show you where you belong. Or, maybe YOU are the one who can open YOUR home and heart to someone who is alone. The point is that God LOVES family. He designed family for a PURPOSE. Jesus said in Matthew 12 that those who do God’s will are his FAMILY. When you are part of the family of GOD, you are NEVER alone! He promises to never leave you nor forsake you. He promises to fill you with His PEACE and JOY so that you can live as an overcomer ALL the days of your life!

Today’s Scripture:

God places the solitary in families…

Psalm 68:6, NKJV

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

IF YOU’RE IN TROUBLE TODAY, GOD IS YOUR RESCUER

Most people won’t ever literally come face to face with a hungry lion, but we’ve all been in situations where we FELT as though we are about to be “eaten up” or destroyed. Daniel lived a life of EXCELLENCE and found favor with the king. The king kept promoting him and giving him more authority, which made the other administrators jealous and angry. They manipulated the king into signing a law that Daniel could not follow. Daniel prayed and STILL found himself in the lions’ den. How would YOU respond in that situation? I’m sure Daniel believed that God would DELIVER him. I’m sure he hoped it would be BEFORE he was thrown into that den.

Have you ever prayed and prayed for something, and things just kept getting WORSE? Daniel trusted that God was working HIS plan for His glory. In the end, Daniel was PROTECTED and his enemies were destroyed.

When it looks as though your friends have turned on you and you are headed for the lions’ den, don’t be discouraged because GOD has the final say. Keep BELIEVING Him; keep TRUSTING Him. He’s PROMISED to NEVER leave you nor forsake you. He’ll shut the mouth of the lion; He’ll silence your accusers; He’ll stand with you in the fire, and He will lead you into VICTORY in EVERY area of your life.

Today’s Scripture

“Daniel, servant of the living God! Was your God, whom you serve so faithfully, able to rescue you from the lions?”

Daniel 6:20, NLT

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

AS YOU HELP OTHERS SUCCEED, YOU’LL FIND ABUNDANT SUCCESS OF YOUR OWN IN RETURN

God has a SYSTEM that is based on the principle of sowing and reaping. In other words, what you pour out to OTHERS will come back to YOU in increased measure. When you GIVE generously, a generous harvest will return to YOU. When you help OTHERS succeed, you will find abundant success on YOUR path, too.

Are YOU helping others SUCCEED? Are you helping others get ahead? There are SOME people in your life who hold the keys for YOU to reach your full POTENTIAL. These are people that God has PLACED in your life for you to help along. The higher THEY rise up, the higher YOU will rise up, too. When you give generously of your TIME, TALENTS and RESEOURCES, you are setting yourself up for greater SUCCESS. People will come across your path that will help you GROW and reach your full POTENTIAL.

Do YOUR part to step out and sow the seed. Be on the lookout for ways you can help OTHERS. As you give of yourself to help OTHERS grow, YOU’LL see increase in return. You’ll see SUCCESS and live the abundant life He has prepared for you.

Today’s Scripture:

“Send your grain across the seas, and in time, profits will flow back to you.”

(Ecclesiastes 11:1, NLT)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

BEFORE YOU EVEN HAD THE PROBLEM, GOD ALREADY HAD THE SOLUTION

There are times in life when we all face situations that seem impossible. It’s easy to get discouraged and think that things won’t ever work out. But the scripture tells us that God goes before us and makes our crooked places straight. In other words, even though you may not have the connections you need right now, you don’t have to worry. God is going before you, lining up the right people, arranging the right breaks, and setting up the right opportunities. He is preparing the way for victory!

Today, if you are facing difficulty, don’t fall into the temptation to get negative and sour. That adversity is no surprise to God. He’s not up in the heavens scratching His head and thinking, “Oh, no. Now what am I going to do?” No, He already has every day of your life written in His book. Before you had that problem, God already had the solution. He is going before you right now preparing the next chapter of your life. Stay in faith and keep the right attitude because He is moving you forward into the victory, He has prepared for you!

Today’s Scripture:

“Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ…”

2 Corinthians 2:14, NKJV

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

EVEN IF YOU FEEL LIKE A MESS, GOD’S ARMS ARE ALWAYS OPEN WIDE

God PROMISES that He is near to those who call upon His name. It doesn’t matter where you ARE or what you’re GOING through; He is your DELIVERER. He’ll bring LIGHT into your darkest hour. He’ll bring RAIN into the dry places. He’ll bring RESTORATION and HEALING to the broken places. When you call on HIS name, you can be assured that He WILL RESPOND. As sure as the sun will rise tomorrow, God will FAITHFULLY RESPOND when you seek Him. Sometimes people think they have to clean themselves up or change their behavior or habits before they can turn to Him, but that’s not what GOD says. He is ready to receive you JUST AS YOU ARE. Even if you FEEL like a mess, His arms are open WIDE today. Open your heart and CALL upon Him. Press on to KNOW Him and His GOODNESS.

Today’s Scripture

“Oh, that we might know the Lord! Let us press on to know him. He will respond to us as surely as the arrival of dawn or the coming of rains in early spring.”

Hosea 6:3, NLT

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

KEEP YOUR FAITH AND TRUST IN GOD, YOUR ‘TIMES’ ARE IN HIS HANDS

God is a STRATEGIC God. He has laid out an exact plan for our lives down to the smallest details. God knows the people you’re going to need to fulfill your DESTINY. He knows who is going to need to give you a good break and who is going to need to put in a good word for you. He knows when someone is going to need to be there to help you out of a difficult time. God has it all figured out. He is not vague or approximate. God is orchestrating our lives down to the very second, causing us to be at the right place at the right time so we can meet the right people that He ordained before the foundation of the world.

I can look back over my life and see time and time again where God directed my steps down to the exact moment. If I had been ten seconds earlier or ten seconds later, I would have missed an OPPORTUNITY. Today, be ENCOURAGED because your times are in His hands. He ORCHESTRATES your life, so keep your FAITH and TRUST in Him.

Today’s Scripture

There are many plans in a man’s heart, nevertheless the Lord’s counsel-that will stand.

Proverbs 19:21, NKJV