THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

THE ENEMY DOESN’T HAVE THE FINAL SAY, FIND REST IN THE PALMS OF GOD’S HANDS

When we look at all the natural disasters, sicknesses, and accidents going on around us, it’s easy to live WORRIED and AFRAID. We think, “What if we face ANOTHER pandemic? What if my BUSINESS doesn’t make it? What if my child has an ACCIDENT?” If you were on your OWN, you would have valid REASONS to be afraid. But you’re NOT in this by yourself.

The Most High GOD is the Guardian of your soul. When He breathed LIFE into you, He didn’t just put you on the earth and say, “Good LUCK.” HE says, “I will GUARD you from forces of darkness. I will shield you from TROUBLE.” Psalm 91 says, “God RESCUES you from every TRAP and PROTECTS you from the fatal PLAGUE.” YOU don’t HAVE to be afraid. God knows how to keep harm AWAY. And if it DOES come, He knows how to HEAL you. HE knows how to RESTORE what was taken. The enemy doesn’t HAVE the final say. Find REST in the palms of GOD’S hands.

Today’s Scripture:

1 Peter 2:25, NLT

Once you were like sheep who wandered away. But now you have turned to your Shepherd, the Guardian of your souls.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

WHEN YOU BELIEVE, YOU’LL ACCOMPLISH DREAMS MUCH BIGGER THAN YOU THOUGHT

In the Scripture, God has given us HUNDREDS of powerful promises that say we’ll live an ABUNDANT life, we’ll be HEALTHY and WHOLE, we’ll experience FAVOR, INCREASE, RESTORATION, and on and ON. But as encouraging and inspiring as the promises ARE, on their OWN they won’t do you any good. They’re just nice, encouraging WORDS. You have to add IN the ONE ingredient that activates the POWER, that makes the promises come ALIVE and become what God SAYS, and that’s FAITH.

God’s promises can bring HEALING, can RESTORE relationships, can catapult you to a new LEVEL, but you won’t see ANY change until you IGNITE them. You’re on the verge of God doing something you’ve never SEEN. Why don’t YOU start mixing in faith with His promises TODAY? Faith IGNITES the promises, and powerful THINGS happen. When you BELIEVE, ANGELS go to work. When you believe, supernatural DOORS will open. When you believe, you’ll defeat GIANTS. When you believe, you’ll accomplish DREAMS much BIGGER than you thought.

Today’s Scripture:

Hebrews 4:2, NKJV

But the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

WHEN YOU REMEMBER WHAT GOD SAYS, FAITH WILL RISE UP IN YOUR HEART

Even after Lazarus had DIED and been in the tomb for FOUR days, Jesus said to his grieving sisters, “Did I not TELL you that if you BELIEVE, you WILL see the glory of GOD?” They soon saw a RESURRECTION. YOU may be facing a sickness, and you’re worried. GOD is saying, “Did I not TELL you that I will restore HEALTH to you, that by My stripes you are HEALED?” You have to start THANKING God for what He TOLD you instead of focusing on what you SEE.

When you’re under PRESSURE, it’s SO important to dwell on God’s PROMISES. Maybe you’re discouraged over how long your DREAM is taking. GOD is saying, “Did I not TELL you that what I started I will FINISH?” When people with more INFLUENCE at the office are trying to push you DOWN, GOD is saying, “Did I not TELL you I will fight your battles FOR you?” When you remember what GOD says, fear, doubt, and worry cannot STAY, and FAITH will rise in your heart.

Today’s Scripture:

John 11:40, NIV

Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?”

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

KEEP PEOPLE WHO ARE JOINED IN SPIRIT WITH YOU

In Mark 5, Jesus went to pray for a little girl who had DIED. When He arrived at the home, He didn’t allow anyone to go in with him except for His inner CIRCLE. Why? Jesus KNEW when He got in that room where the little girl was dead, He needed people who wouldn’t question who He WAS. He needed people who BELIEVED.

If YOU have people close to YOU who are constantly pulling you DOWN, telling you how you’ll never accomplish your DREAMS, understand that it is SCRIPTURAL to keep them at a DISTANCE. It may be DIFFICULT, but when you’re in the heat of the BATTLE, when you need a BREAKTHROUGH, you need people who are joined in spirit WITH you. You need people who will say, “If YOU’RE bold enough to believe it, count on ME. I’m bold enough to AGREE with you.” “If YOU believe you can get your DEGREE, or you can see your marriage RESTORED, then count on ME. I’m on BOARD. I’m ALL FOR you.”

Today’s Scripture:

Mark 5:37, TLB

Then Jesus halted the crowd and wouldn’t let anyone go on with him to Jairus’s home except Peter and James and John.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

THERE’S NO LIMIT TO WHAT GOD WILL DO IN YOUR LIFE WHEN HE KNOWS HE CAN TRUST YOU

God wants us to be people of INTEGRITY. A person of HONOR is open and honest and true to her WORD. He says what he MEANS and means what he SAYS. She doesn’t have any hidden agendas or ulterior motives. He doesn’t need a legal CONTRACT to force him to fulfill his WORD. People of INTEGRITY are the same in PRIVATE as they are in PUBLIC. They do what’s right whether anybody is WATCHING or not.

If you don’t have INTEGRITY, you will NEVER reach your best. INTEGRITY is the foundation on which truly SUCCESSFUL relationships are built. Every time you COMPROMISE, every time you are LESS than honest, you are causing a slight crack in the FOUNDATION. If you CONTINUE compromising, that foundation will never be able to hold what God wants to BUILD. On the OTHER hand, God’s BLESSINGS will OVERTAKE you if you settle for nothing LESS than living with integrity. There’s NO limit to what God will DO in your life when He knows He can TRUST you.

Today’s Scripture:

Song of Solomon 2:15, NLT

Catch all the foxes, those little foxes, before they ruin the vineyard…

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

IF WE ARE TO FULFILL OUR DESTINY, WE MUST STAY TRUE TO WHAT GOD HAS PUT IN OUR HEART

Jesus talks about those who love the praise of PEOPLE more than the praise of GOD. One of the tests we ALL have to pass is when someone whom we respect or LIKE wants us to go ONE direction, yet we know in our HEARTS we should take ANOTHER path. We want their APPROVAL, but if we are to fulfill our DESTINY, we have to stay true to what HE’S put in our heart. If you please GOD, His favor, His anointing, and His BLESSING will cause you to EXCEL. If you quit worrying about what OTHERS think, you’ll see new opportunities and RELATIONSHIPS. God’s favor will INCREASE you.

PEOPLE will tell you how to RUN your life. If you try to please EVERYONE, you’ll be confused, frustrated, and MISERABLE. Don’t let PEOPLE control you and go around feeling GUILTY because you don’t fit into their BOXES. They may not understand why you don’t take their ADVICE, but look straight AHEAD, and as the apostle PAUL says, “Run with PURPOSE in EVERY step.”

Today’s Scripture:

John 12:43, NIV

…for they loved human praise more than praise from God.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

START AIMING FOR EXCELLENCE IN EVERYTHING YOU DO

For MANY people, mediocrity is the NORM; they do as LITTLE as they possibly can to just get by. But God has called us to be His REPRESENTATIVES, to be people of EXCELLENCE and INTEGRITY. How you LIVE, how you conduct your BUSINESS and do your WORK, is all a reflection on our GOD. Any hint of compromise or MEDIOCRITY will taint our greatest victories or our grandest ACHIEVEMENTS as well as keep us from God’s BEST.

When you have an excellent SPIRIT, it shows up in the quality of everything you DO and the ATTITUDE with which you DO it. The SCRIPTURE says that whatever you DO, you should give your best EFFORT and do it as if you are doing it for GOD. You go the extra mile to do what’s RIGHT, and anything LESS will cause you to be UNHAPPY. You keep your WORD even when it’s DIFFICULT. You give your employer a full day’s WORK and don’t call in sick when you’re NOT. Start aiming for EXCELLENCE in EVERYTHING you do.

Today’s Scripture:

Philippians 1:9–10, ESV

…that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ…

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

WHEN GOD PUTS LOVE AND COMPASSION IN YOUR HEART TOWARD SOMEONE, FOLLOW THAT LOVE.

Everywhere you GO these days, people are HURTING and DISCOURAGED, and many have broken DREAMS. They’ve made mistakes; their lives are in a MESS. They need to feel God’s COMPASSION and unconditional LOVE. They do NOT need somebody to judge and CRITICIZE them. They NEED somebody to bring HOPE, to bring HEALING, to show God’s MERCY, to BE there to ENCOURAGE them, to take the time to listen and genuinely CARE.

Our world is crying OUT for people with COMPASSION, people who love UNCONDITIONALLY. The apostle Paul says that GOD’S love has been poured into OUR hearts through the Holy SPIRIT. If you want to live your BEST life, you must keep your heart of compassion open to be KIND, CARING, GENTLE, and LOVING. You need to be on the LOOKOUT for people you can BLESS. YOU can make a DIFFERENCE in other peoples’ LIVES. When God puts love and COMPASSION in your heart toward someone, FOLLOW that love. Don’t ignore it. ACT on it. Somebody NEEDS what you HAVE. Be a person of COMPASSION.

Today’s Scripture:

1 Peter 3:8, NKJV

Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

THERE’S NO RIGHT OR WRONG WAY TO PRAY, THE IMPORTANT PART IS THAT YOU DO IT

When we PRAY, something SUPERNATURAL occurs. Prayer is the most powerful POSTURE we can take in this earthly realm. When we PRAY, we connect the strongest PART of ourselves with the strongest FORCE in the UNIVERSE–the Spirit of GOD. When we open ourselves to HIM, God’s Spirit testifies with OUR spirit that we are His CHILDREN. PRAYER, then, is simply talking to our FATHER. When you come to God with a childlike HEART, there’s no right or WRONG way to PRAY. The IMPORTANT part is that you DO it. Rather than think you need to commit to an HOUR of prayer a day, start with, “Every DAY I’m going to pray five MINUTES,” then add on TO it.

Remember, PRAYER is a PRIVILEGE. Without JESUS, we wouldn’t be ABLE to come directly to God. We wouldn’t be able to make our requests KNOWN to Him. We wouldn’t be able to know PEACE that passes UNDERSTANDING. Make prayer a PRIORITY. Put Him FIRST and draw STRENGTH from the wonderful PRIVILEGE we have in Him.

Today’s Scripture:

Romans 8:15–16, NIV

And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

WHEN GOD’S FAVOR IS ON THE NEW, THERE IS NO GRACE FOR THE OLD

Are you making the MOST of your life, pursuing your DREAMS, fulfilling your PURPOSE? Or are you just going through the MOTIONS, stuck on a job where you’re not fulfilled and still doing things the same way you did YEARS ago? It’s time to REFOCUS and REALIGN and make ADJUSTMENTS. God has FRESHNESS. He has NEW dreams, new MINDSETS, new friendships, and new ways of DOING things.

ASK yourself, “What’s WORKING in my life? What am I EXCITED about?” Sometimes we’re not passionate because we’re stuck in the PAST. You have to get OUT of your comfort zone and STRETCH to a new LEVEL. It may mean starting that BUSINESS, pursuing a new JOB, or doing things DIFFERENT in your PERSONAL life. Look for open doors and be willing to walk AWAY from what’s stagnant. When God is moving us FORWARD, and we try to stay where we ARE, there’s no GRACE for the old. His FAVOR is on the NEW. The blessing, the increase, and the EASE are WAITING for you at your NEXT assignment.

Today’s Scripture:

Isaiah 42:9, ESV

Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them.