THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

THE WAY WE LIVE OUR LIVES SHOULD BRING GLORY TO GOD

When others look at YOUR life, what do they see? Does your daily life win the RESPECT of others? As believers, we are Christ’s REPRESENTATIVES in the earth. We are called to a HIGHER standard. The way we LIVE our lives should bring glory to God the FATHER.

Notice this verse doesn’t say, “Go out of your way to do something major so that everyone will notice and respect YOU.” It doesn’t say, “Win a gold medal or Pulitzer prize so that people will glorify your Father in heaven.” No, it says that your daily life should win the respect of OTHERS. That simply means always taking the HIGH road and living a life of EXCELLENCE. It means doing the right thing even when NO one is looking. It means finding common ground in order to be a PEACEMAKER. It means living with an attitude of FAITH and THANKSGIVING.

Remember, you WILL BECOME like those you spend the most TIME with. If you are committed to spending time with God the Father every day, you’ll develop HIS character. You’ll win the RESPECT of outsiders and bring glory to HIM all the days of your life!

Today’s Scripture:

“So that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders…”

(1 Thessalonians 4:12, NIV)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

GRATTITUDE IS A POWERFUL FORCE THAT OPENS THE DOOR TO GOD’S BLESSING

No matter what may be happening in the world AROUND you, you can always find SOMETHING to thank God for. GRATITUDE is a powerful force that opens the door to God’s blessing. Having constant gratitude proves your FAITH in God because not only do you thank Him for what He HAS done in the PAST, you thank Him for what He WILL do in the FUTURE. It’s that kind of faith that PLEASES God. Constant gratitude also shows HUMILITY because when we are thankful, we magnify GOD instead of magnifying our PROBLEMS. It gives us proper PERSPECTIVE and opens the door for God’s GRACE, FAVOR and supernatural EMPOWERMENT.

So what are YOU grateful for today? Are you grateful for the SUN that shines and brings a new DAY? Are you thankful for the gift of eternal LIFE? As you choose an attitude of constant GRATITUDE, you’ll experience His mercy and loving-kindness in GREATER ways. You’ll be filled with His PEACE and JOY and pave the way to move forward into the ABUNDANT life He has prepared for YOU!

Today’s Scripture:

“O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever!”

(1 Chronicles 16:34, AMPC)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

GOD WANTS TO SEE US LIVE A BLESSED LIFE

Have you thought about the fact that God has already said “yes” to His promises in your life? You don’t have to beg God to be GOOD to you. You don’t have to plead with Him to HELP you. God WANTS to help you. He wants to pour out His abundant BLESSING on your life.

Scripture says His promises are “YES AND AMEN.” Amen means “SO BE IT.” In other words, it’s a done deal. All you have to do is make sure you are living up to YOUR end of the bargain. See, God’s love is UNCONDITIONAL, but we have to obey His commands in order to see His PROMISES come to pass. For example, Malachi 3:10 says that we have to bring our tithe to HIM in order to see the windows of heaven open. It says in Deuteronomy 5 that we are to HONOR our parents in order to live a long life.

The GOOD news is that when we surrender our HEARTS to Him, He EMPOWERS us to fulfill every one of His commands. He EQUIPS us for every good work because He wants to see us live a BLESSED life. That’s why His promises are “YES” and “AMEN!”

Today’s Scripture:

“For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.”

(2 Corinthians 1:20, 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 time table. 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 if He did it for them, 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. Trust that He has YOUR best interest at heart. He wants to pour out His 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 and keep BELIEVING because He IS working behind the scenes. Have FAITH because your times ARE in His hands, and He WILL lead you in 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:

THE GREATEST GIFT OF ALL, THE GIFT OF ETERNAL, ABUNDANT LIFE

Have you ever thought about how love affects GIVING? I’ve heard it said that you can give without loving, but you can’t LOVE without GIVING. Love prompts us to give of OURSELVES, our TIME, ABILITIES and RESOURCES. The Bible tells us that God IS love, and the world will know that we are His followers by the love WE show—and GIVING is what shows our LOVE! We are entering into a time in the year that the world knows as the SEASON of giving, but let’s remember to take time to focus on the greatest gift of ALL, the gift of eternal, abundant LIFE through JESUS. If you’ve never RECEIVED this gift, I invite you to open your heart and pray this simple prayer: “Lord Jesus, I come to You today, giving You all that I am. I repent of my sins and confess that I need You. I believe You died and rose for me. Be my Lord and Savior and make me new today. I receive Your love and Your gift of eternal life.” Then, go out and SHARE the gift of love with someone ELSE because it’s the ONLY gift that will last in ETERNITY!

Today’s Scripture:

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

(John 3:16, NIV)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

WHERE WOULD YOU BE TODAY, IF NOT FOR THE GOODNESS OF GOD

If it had not been for the goodness of GOD, where would YOU be? Some of you, like ME, wouldn’t be ALIVE today. Some would still be ADDICTED. If it had not been for God’s favor some would still be STRUGGLING, barely making it. You may say, “Well Mark, I’ve got a LONG way to go.” And that may be TRUE, but I want you to take a moment and look back over your life and realize how FAR you’ve come today. The same God that brought you THIS far, the same God that has kept you ALIVE, is going to carry you through ANY difficulty you may be facing. The key is to just start PRAISING and THANKING Him for His GOODNESS. Thank Him for His FAVOR and BLESSING upon you. Praise PRECEDES the victory. PRAISE brings the walls of opposition DOWN. PRAISE is the invitation for God to intervene on your BEHALF!

Today, I declare that the goodness of God is ALL OVER you! HE is directing your steps, and you are following His LEADING. I declare that your best days are AHEAD, and as you PRAISE Him and THANK Him, you WILL move forward into the VICTORY and BLESSING He has prepared for you!

Today’s Scripture:

“If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction.”

(Psalm 119:92, NIV)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

NO MATTER WHAT IS HAPPENING AROUND YOU, WORSHIP GOD TODAY, DECLARE HIS GOODNESS

Have you ever thought about what it means to continually offer up a SACRIFICE of PRAISE? That word “SACRIFICE” means that it cost you something. It means doing something when you don’t feel like it. It’s when you say, “God, I’m hurting, but I give You PRAISE.” “God, I’m lonely, but I give You PRAISE.” “God, it wasn’t fair. They did me wrong, but I give You PRAISE.”

When you PRAISE God beyond your feelings, that’s when PRAISE becomes your FAITH at work. That’s when PRAISE becomes a WEAPON. Nothing gets God’s attention any more than when you call on Him in your time of trouble. When most people would become negative and bitter, you have a song of PRAISE. You’re thanking God for who He is and what He WILL do in your life. You’re not talking about how big your problems are; you’re talking about how big your GOD is!

Today, understand that PRAISE activates God’s POWER. He commands us to PRAISE because it opens the door to His VICTORY and BLESSING. No matter what is happening around you, WORSHIP Him! Declare His GOODNESS and see His RESTORATION in every area of your life!

Today’s Scripture:

Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.

Hebrews 13:15, NKJV

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

GOD’S MORE INTERESTED IN CHANGING YOU, THAN HE IS IN CHANGING YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES

Sometimes when God is doing a work in our lives, it can begin to feel a little UNCOMFORTABLE. We may encounter people who are hard to get along with or have CIRCUMSTANCES that seem beyond our control. When this happens, instead of complaining, getting sour or trying to change everything AROUND you, why don’t you look deep inside and say, “Lord, thank You for doing a WORK in me.” See, I’ve learned that God is more interested in changing ME than He is in changing my CIRCUMSTANCES. If I choose to stay sour because I’m not getting MY way or discouraged because things aren’t happening on MY time table, that’s going to keep me right where I AM.

If you want to see CHANGE, if you want to see God open up new doors, the key is to BLOOM right where you’re planted. You can’t wait until everything gets better before you decide to have a good ATTITUDE. You have to be the BEST that you can be right where you ARE. When you BLOOM where you’re PLANTED, you’re allowing God to WORK in you, and He will be FAITHFUL to complete what He’s STARTED in you!

Today’s Scripture:

“…He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

(Philippians 1:6, NIV)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

DON’T LET DISCOURAGEMENT OR NEGATIVE THOUGHTS TALK YOU OUT OF GOD’S BEST

God is a FAITHFUL God! You may be praying for things that haven’t HAPPENED yet, but just because things aren’t happening on YOUR timetable doesn’t mean they aren’t going to HAPPEN. Don’t give up on that PROMISE; GOD has the final say. Don’t let discouragement or negative thoughts talk you OUT of it. Get your FIRE back! Get your PASSION back. If GOD said it, He WILL DO it. If God SPOKE it, He WILL bring it to PASS.

This is what the apostle Paul did in Scripture. He said, “None of these things move me.” What were “these things?” CIRCUMSTANCES that looked impossible. Persecution. People trying to talk him out of it. Negative, discouraging THOUGHTS. His ATTITUDE was, “That doesn’t change my mind. I’m not moved by what I SEE. I’m moved by what I KNOW, and I KNOW if God be FOR me, who DARE be against me? I know all of God’s PROMISES are yes and amen. I know God has the FINAL say!”

Today’s Scripture:

“But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.”

(Acts 20:24, NKJV)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

GOD WANTS YOU TO EXPERIENCE HIS GOODNESS

In the natural, when WE’VE wronged someone, sometimes it’s easier to avoid them than to face the discomfort or potential rejection. It isn’t surprising that people sometimes have this same approach to GOD. Have you ever heard someone say, “If I walk into a church, the roof will cave in”? They think they should keep their distance because of what they’ve done. But nothing could be further from the TRUTH! God’s not mad at you; He’s madly in LOVE with you! He’s waiting for you with OPEN ARMS. It doesn’t matter WHO you are or what you’ve DONE; know that His GOODNESS is what’s drawing you to Him.

Today, don’t let condemnation keep you from turning to God. Trust His KINDNESS. Trust that He wants you to experience His GOODNESS. He wants to show you His FAITHFULNESS. He’s promised He’ll NEVER leave you nor forsake you. Turn to Him TODAY and let Him pour His loving KINDNESS on you and EMPOWER you to walk in VICTORY all the days of your life!

Today’s Scripture:

“…the goodness of God leads you to repentance”

(Romans 2:4, NKJV)