THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

YOUR MISTAKE DID NOT CHANGE ‘WHO YOU ARE’ TO GOD

When we make mistakes in life, there are three main things that we need to do. Number one, ask for FORGIVENESS. Number two, RECEIVE God’s mercy. And number three, move FORWARD with your life. Let it go and press AHEAD.

So many people today are still beating themselves down over something they did five years ago. They’ve asked God to forgive them a thousand times, but can’t let it go. They go around living depressed, defeated and feeling unworthy. If that’s you, REALIZE today the price has ALREADY been paid. The first time you asked God to forgive you, He FORGAVE you. Now YOU’VE got to receive God’s MERCY and press AHEAD. That mistake did not change WHO you are to God. MY daughter has never once gotten up in the morning as a Justice and then done something wrong and gone to bed that night with a different last NAME. No matter what she DID, she’s still my CHILD.

You may have made mistakes today, but because of the blood of JESUS, you are still your Father’s CHILD. You are still the apple of God’s EYE. You are still His most PRIZED possession. God may not be pleased with EVERY action, but He IS pleased when you receive His FORGIVENESS by FAITH!

Today’s Scripture:

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness”

(1 John 1:9, NKJV)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

WHEN YOU BECOME A FOLLOWER OF CHRIST, YOUR LIFE BECOMES DIFFERENT

When you become a follower of Christ, your life becomes DIFFERENT. Everything ABOUT you becomes different. When we follow God’s commands, it means we do things DIFFERENTLY from others. It means, instead of being offended, we choose LOVE. Instead of insisting on our way, we serve OTHERS. It means, instead of trying to be RIGHT all the time, we build and lift others UP.

This isn’t the way MOST people in the world act but that’s OKAY. We are called to be DIFFERENT. We are called to rise HIGHER. We are called to be examples of God’s GRACE, MERCY and FORGIVENESS. It may not make sense to OTHERS but that’s okay. God will promote you to a NEW level of BLESSING and VICTORY when you commit yourself FULLY to Him. Don’t live a life of mediocrity, live a life of EXCELLENCE for God. Live a life PLEASING to Him and don’t be afraid to be DIFFERENT!

Today’s Scripture:

“Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul.”

1 Peter 2:11, NIV

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

WHEN YOU DO THINGS GOD’S WAY, YOU WILL GET GOD’S RESULTS

Have you ever spent time with a small child or baby and had them mimic your every sound or action? To them it’s a fun game, but internally, they are learning by watching and copying everything you do. They just OBSERVE and do the same thing. That’s because we are all wired to be IMITATORS.

Even as adults, just like little children, we are all STILL imitators. So many people today end up imitating what they see in the world, on TV, in the news and magazines. But scripture tells us that we are to be imitators of GOD and follow HIS example of LOVE.

If you need to make a CHANGE in your life today, change what you are IMITATING. Change your FOCUS. The more you focus on the WORD, the more you will imitate GOD. When you do things GOD’S way, you will get God’s RESULTS—PEACE, JOY and BLESSING all the days of your life!

Today’s Scripture:

“Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”

Ephesians 5:1-2, ESV

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

ENJOY THE JOURNEY OF LIFE. TAKE TIME TO STOP AND SMELL THE ROSES

Oftentimes, people tend to get wrapped up and busy with things that don’t really MATTER in ETERNITY. It’s easy to get consumed by your career and stay focused on your goals. It’s GOOD to work hard, but you’ve got to learn how to PLAY hard, TOO, so that you can stay in BALANCE. I heard somebody say, “It’s not that life is so SHORT, it’s that we WAIT so long to begin LIVING.” If we want to TRULY enjoy the JOURNEY of life, we have to TAKE TIME to stop and smell the roses. Do you appreciate the PEOPLE you love? Do you hug your CHILDREN before you leave each day and give your spouse a KISS? When was the last time you called your PARENTS to tell them how much you LOVE them? That’s how we can ENJOY the journey.

If you’ll stay determined to enjoy the JOURNEY of life, you’ll live with NO regrets. You’ll see your path shine BRIGHTER and BRIGHTER, and at the end, you’ll be able to say, “I made the MOST of my life. I enjoyed my FAMILY. I enjoyed my FRIENDS. I finished my course with JOY.”

Today’s Scripture:

“But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day.”

Proverbs 4:18, ESV

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 HAS GOOD GIFTS FOR HIS CHILDREN…

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:

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:

WHEN YOUR MIND IS IN AGREEMENT WITH GOD’S WORD, IT WILL HELP GUIDE YOU TOWARD YOUR DESTINY….

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