THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

TAKE TIME FOR GOD AT THE START OF EACH DAY

In Matthew 6, Jesus instructs to “Seek FIRST the kingdom of God.” The term “seek” carries significant WEIGHT, implying a crucial NECESSITY. Viewing time with God as ESSENTIAL to a successful life is IMPORTANT, as there may be mornings when one RESISTS waking early, reading the Bible, or attending church. However, establishing a routine reveals the benefits of feeling REFRESHED and RECHARGED, leading to better DECISIONS, increased CREATIVITY, and experiencing God’s FAVOR. This realization leads to the thought, “I can’t afford NOT to do it. Without time with GOD, something feels AMISS.” Missing church means lacking wisdom, clarity, direction, and the necessary ‘FIRE’ for the week.

The Bible’s directive to “seek first” suggests PRIORITIZING God at the day’s BEGINNING, not offering Him the remnants of our time. Integrating Him into our daily routine and making Him our foremost PRIORITY, seeking Him EARNESTLY, sets the stage for witnessing His work in OUR lives.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE:

In the night I search for you; in the morning I earnestly seek you…

Isaiah 26:9, NLT

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

GO OUT IN JOY AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE

The Bible declares that we are more than conquerors through Christ, NOT contingent on OUR strength, age, or spiritual maturity. We are victorious in the PRESENT moment. Stand TALL and view yourself as a VICTOR in HIM! Victory is ASSURED through Him. The challenges that overwhelm and defeat MANY will NOT control YOU as you walk with Christ and possess the JOY of the Lord. With Christ, you gain strength and TRIUMPH. Remember this today: if Christ stands WITH you, the opposition you encounter is INSIGNIFICANT. REASSESS your life today. You are God’s ALLY! Regardless of the obstacles or opposition, hold onto THIS certainty—God SUPPORTS you. Step out in JOY and impact the WORLD for Him today, CONFIDENT of who BACKS you.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE:

…If God is for us, who is against us?

Romans 8:31, NASB

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

YOU’RE IN PRIME POSITION TO SEE A FLOOD OF GOD’S GOODNESS

Whenever you find yourself in challenging and dark times, remember this: God has a plan to guide you to VICTORY. Invoking His name and entrusting your situation to Him will usher in His light through the darkness. It won’t just seep in; it will burst forth like a deluge, like waters breaking through a dam.

This means that suddenly, your health may improve. Suddenly, you might meet the right person. Suddenly, you could find yourself able to pay off your house. We should maintain the belief that, even if a child is lost and making unwise choices, a surge of God’s mercy will lead them back. Or if a house has been on the market for a year without selling, a wave of favor will make it sell.

In the face of adversity, don’t lose heart. You are perfectly positioned to witness an outpouring of God’s GOODNESS. Continue to PRAISE Him, THANK Him, and keep the FAITH, for His light will penetrate the darkness.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE:

When darkness overtakes him, light will come bursting in…

Psalm 112:4, TLB

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

IF YOU WANT TO MAKE GOD HAPPY, GO TO HIM WITH BOLDNESS

As a Dad, there’s no one I’d rather help than my own child. There’s no one I’d rather see successful and doing well. It’s the same way with our heavenly Father. It gives Him pleasure to give His children His Kingdom. It brings a smile to His face.

If my own child never acted like I wanted to help her, and she was always afraid to ask me for something, or acted like she was bothering me or intimidated, it would break my heart! I want her to be BOLD and COME to me. I want her to ask when she needs help or wants something.

The Scripture tells us to come BOLDLY to the throne of grace. If you want to make God happy, go to Him with BOLDNESS, go to Him like you know He’s PROUD of you, like you know you DESERVE to be there, like you know He WANTS to be good to you. Ask Him for your dreams. Pray bold prayers. You’re not inconveniencing Him. You don’t have to EARN God’s love. You don’t have to work for His APPROVAL.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE:

“…it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”

Luke 12:32, NKJV

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

ACKNOWLEDGE GOD IN ALL YOUR WAYS, ASK FOR HIS HELP

Scripture says that we are to ACKNOWLEDGE God in ALL of our ways. One way to acknowledge God is to simply ask for His help. On the way to the grocery store, under your breath, “God, help me to find what I’m looking for. Help this to be a productive trip.” That’s acknowledging GOD. You’re saying in effect, “God, I need You right now. I WANT You in my life.”

That simple acknowledgment is an act of FAITH. It opens the door for Him to direct your steps, even in the little things. God will help you find what you may not have found. He will put you at the right place at the right time. And sure, you can do this without God’s help. You can do it in your own strength. But when you learn to hear His voice in the LITTLE things, you’ll be confident to hear Him in the BIG things. When you acknowledge God, He breathes His FAVOR on you. You’ll come into an anointing of EASE. What should have been a struggle won’t BE a struggle. That’s God crowning your efforts with SUCCESS.

Today and EVERY day, ask Him for help and let Him lead you and guide you in EVERY area of your life!

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE:

So Judah gathered together to ask help from the Lord…

2 Chronicles 20:4, NKJV

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

WHEN YOU SEE GOODNESS, YOU’RE SEEING GOD

Moses was talking to God and said, “God, show me Your GLORY.” God responded by saying, in effect, “Okay, Moses. I’ll show it to you, but you can’t see My face. The way you’ll know that I’ve been here is that you will see My GOODNESS.” Whenever something good happens, large or small, God is saying, “That’s a SIGN of My presence.”

I believe that if you’re seeing goodness in your life, you’re seeing God! You’re seeing a sign of His presence. I’m convinced that we see God at work all day long, but many times, we don’t recognize it.

Today, be on the lookout for God’s goodness. Thank Him and praise Him for the little things as well as the big things. As you acknowledge His goodness, you’ll see Him more clearly and know His LOVE in ways you never have before.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE:

Then Moses said, “Now show me your glory.”

Exodus 33:18, NIV

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

DARE TO START SEEING YOURSELF AS GOD SEES YOU…

Many people feel inadequate to do ANYTHING for God. But God doesn’t see you as inadequate. He sees you as COMPLETE, lacking NOTHING in Him! In the Scripture, Gideon was hiding out from his enemies. He was afraid and didn’t feel equipped to do what God called him to do. Gideon was focused on his circumstances and his limitations, but God was focused on what HE could do through Gideon. Gideon felt weak; God saw him as STRONG. Gideon felt unqualified; God saw him as COMPETENT to do the job. Gideon felt insecure and full of fear; God saw him as FEARLESS and full of BOLDNESS. Sure enough, when Gideon OBEYED God, against all odds, he ended in VICTORY!

You may feel that you’re average. You may think you’re ordinary, but God sees you as a CHAMPION. He BELIEVES in you and regards you as a STRONG, COURAGEOUS, SUCCESSFUL, OVERCOMING person. You may not see YOURSELF that way, but that doesn’t change GOD’S image of you. God still sees you exactly as His WORD describes you. Dare to start seeing yourself as GOD sees you—as a VICTOR!

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE:

…”The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor!”

Judges 6:12, NKJV

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

AS BELIEVERS, WE HAVE ACCESS TO GOD 24/7

As BELIEVERS, we have the HONOR and PRIVILEGE to enter boldly into God’s presence. Scripture says that we can come to His throne of grace and receive His mercy. Because He LOVES us, He has given us unlimited access to Himself 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

But notice that today’s verse tells us that we shouldn’t just come any old way to God. We shouldn’t come empty-handed to the King of kings and the Lord of lords. What can we bring? What do we have that’s WORTHY of Almighty God? Our PRAISE. Our THANKSGIVING. Our WORSHIP. We are to enter His gates with an offering from our hearts of ADORATION because He is WORTHY!

We have to understand, PRAISE isn’t just about singing songs on Sunday mornings. Praise is the expression of GRATEFULNESS to Father God for Who He IS and all that He has DONE. PRAISE gets God’s attention. Praise is a powerful TOOL in the life of the believer because God INHABITS our praises! When we enter His presence the RIGHT way, He enters our CIRCUMSTANCES, and when God shows up, the enemy MUST flee! Today, enter into His gates with THANKSGIVING and open the door for Him to move on your behalf!

Today’s Scripture:

“Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.”

(Psalm 100:4, NKJV)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

IN A SINGLE MOMENT, GOD CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE

One thing I’ve learned is that God doesn’t always work on OUR timetable. In fact, He RARELY does. But in a single MOMENT, God can change your LIFE! All throughout scripture, we see examples of how God was working behind the scenes and INSTANTLY turned things around for His people. Scripture tells us He is the same yesterday, today and FOREVER which means He can INSTANTLY turn things around for you, TOO!

You may be going through some difficulty today but be ENCOURAGED because your times are in GOD’s hands. He wants to ACCELERATE things in your FAVOR. He wants to take you FURTHER than you dreamed possible and work in your life in ways BEYOND what you have ever imagined.

Let this TRUTH sink down into your heart today. Resist discouragement by speaking His WORD over your future. Keep STANDING. Keep HOPING; keep BELIEVING because He IS working behind the scenes. He’s going to ACCELERATE your times and lead you into the life of VICTORY He has for you!

Today’s Scripture:

“My times are in Your hand…”

Psalm 31:15, NASB

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

SALVATION IS A GIFT FROM GOD THAT CAN NOT BE EARNED

We serve such a LOVING, GRACIOUS and GENEROUS God. He LOVES you so much that there isn’t anything He wouldn’t do in order to have a relationship with you. The Bible tells us that sin separates man from God. But God doesn’t want to be separated from us. That’s why He sent His Son into the world—to pay the penalty for sin so that you and I could LIVE in eternity with Him.

So many people today think they have to EARN their way to Heaven. They think they have to be “good enough” or “do the right thing” in order to be accepted by God. They want to “clean up” before they come to Him. But notice what today’s verse says—SALVATION is a GIFT from God. You can’t earn a GIFT. You don’t pay for it. You can only receive it by FAITH. If you’ve never made Jesus the Lord of your life, I encourage you to RECEIVE this free GIFT. Let Him fill you with His eternal PEACE and JOY so that you can live the ABUNDANT life He has for you.

Today’s Scripture:

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.

Ephesians 2:8, NKJV