THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

THE JOY OF THE LORD WILL GIVE YOU STRENGTH TO MAKE IT THROUGH

God promises that JOY is found in His PRESENCE. When you don’t have JOY, you’re in SOME way being DISCONNECTED from God’s presence. If you go through the day stressed out, worried, offended, and on edge, you’re SEPARATING yourself from the BLESSING, the FAVOR, and the STRENGTH you need. In the tough times, you need to be FULL of joy, because the joy of the LORD is what gives you STRENGTH to make it THROUGH.

We ALL are dealing with difficult SITUATIONS. But no matter WHAT’S going on AROUND you, God wants you to experience His supernatural joy at ALL times. JOY manifests when you focus your HEART on the heavenly Father and PRAISE Him for who He IS and what He’s DONE in your life. The SCRIPTURE says that He inhabits the PRAISES of His PEOPLE. Anytime you feel depleted or overwhelmed, just begin to PRAISE and THANK God, draw NEAR to Him and He’ll draw near to YOU. In His PRESENCE you’ll be REFRESHED and RESTORED to His full JOY.

Today’s Scripture:

Psalm 16:11, NKJV

You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

HOLD TIGHTLY TO WHAT GOD PUTS IN YOUR HEART, BUT HOLD LOOSLEY TO HOW IT’S GOIING TO HAPPEN

I heard a story once about a couple that was CERTAIN they’d found their DREAM house. They said they PRAYED over it, THANKING God that it was THEIRS, and THEN made an offer. But the seller rejected their OFFER. They were DEEPLY disappointed, but if you’re only going to be happy if God does it YOUR way, that’s not TRUSTING Him; that’s giving God ORDERS. A few months later, they purchased ANOTHER house. A few years after that, they sold HALF of that property for MORE than they paid for the WHOLE property and built a NEW house there. God BLESSED them in ways greater than they’d ever IMAGINED.

I believe in praying BOLD prayers for your DREAMS, believing for big THINGS. But I’ve LEARNED to let God do it HIS way. Hold TIGHTLY to what God puts in your HEART, but hold LOOSELY to how it’s going to HAPPEN. Don’t get set in your WAYS. Don’t be DISCOURAGED because it hasn’t happened the way YOU thought. God is working out HIS plan for your life.

Today’s Scripture:

Isaiah 45:9, NIV

“Does the clay say to the potter, ‘What are you making?'”

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

YOU BELONG TO GOD. WHETHER YOU WEAR GUCCI OR GOODWILL, YOUR VALUE NEVER CHANGES…..

Many people can’t feel good about THEMSELVES unless they prove to OTHER people that they are IMPORTANT. They are always having to OUTDO, OUTPERFORM, OUTDRIVE, and OUTDRESS somebody ELSE. If you live in a PROVING mode, it’s as though you’re running on a treadmill that never STOPS. As soon as you prove to ONE person that you’re okay, you’ll see somebody ELSE you need to impress. It’s a never-ending CYCLE. You have to get OFF that treadmill. It’s very FREEING when you realize you don’t HAVE to prove anything to ANYONE.

Are YOU trying to prove YOUR value by WHO you know, what you WEAR, or what you DRIVE? Learn to be SECURE in who YOU are–you are a child of the Most High GOD. You BELONG to God. Whether you’re wearing Gucci or GOODWILL, whether it’s Calvin Klein or Fruit of the LOOM, your value NEVER changes. You don’t have to HAVE popularity, possessions, or performance to feel GOOD about yourself. You don’t have to prove anything to ANYONE.

Today’s Scripture:

Job 15:31, NIV

Let him not deceive himself by trusting what is worthless, for he will get nothing in return.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

 

GOD’S MERCIES ARE NEW AND AVAILABLE TO YOU EVERY MORNING

Where would YOU be if God had not REDEEMED you from your wrong choices? Perhaps some of the things in your past–the group of FRIENDS, the DRUGS AND ALCOHOL, the reckless DRIVING, a freak ACCIDENT–could have taken you OUT. You were headed down the WRONG path, doing things that you KNEW were not God’s best, but you encountered the God who OVERRULES. He loves you TOO much to let you miss your PURPOSE. Today’s Scripture talks about the tender MERCIES of God–NOT “mercy” but “MERCIES.” Again and again, God shows you MERCY. His MERCIES are new and available to you EVERY morning.

You may have made a lot of MISTAKES, but the GOOD news is, you don’t have to carry that AROUND with you. Do you feel like there’s something BETWEEN you and God right NOW? Come to His throne of grace and receive His MERCY. Ask for His FORGIVENESS for EVERY failure. Don’t carry around YESTERDAY’S mistakes ANY longer. Let Him REFRESH and RESTORE your soul RIGHT now.

Today’s Scripture:

Psalm 103:4, NKJV

Who redeems your life from destruction, who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies…

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

DON’T BE AFRAID, ONLY BELIEVE…..

In Mark 5, after Jesus told a synagogue leader named Jairus that He would come to his house and heal his dying daughter, He was DELAYED with the healing of a woman who had been sick for twelve YEARS. While I’m sure that Jairus was AMAZED by the healing and HAPPY for the woman, his daughter DIED in the meantime, dashing his HOPES. But Jesus REASSURED him that He would do what He had PROMISED. This man came to Jesus asking for HEALING, but because of the DDELAY, he received a GREATER miracle, a RESURRECTION that left EVERYONE “completely ASTONISHED.”

When YOU have to wait a long time, DON’T get discouraged. God hasn’t FORGOTTENT about you. The circumstances may tell you it’s NEVER going to happen, but GOD has something BIGGER, something BETTER, something you weren’t EXPECTING. Like for THIS man, He’s going to do something where not only YOU, but the people AROUND you are going to be ASTONISHED, AMAZED, and overwhelmed at the GOODNESS of God. DON’T be afraid. Only BELIEVE.

Today’s Scripture:

Mark 5:36, ESV

But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not fear, only believe.”

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

GOD LOVES YOU TOO MUCH TO ANSWER A PRAYER THAT IS GOING TO KEEP YOU FROM YOUR PURPOSE

Did you ever wonder if at times you’re trying to pray away what God has ORDAINED for you? In the Scriptures, Joseph went through YEARS of injustice and unfairness. It would have made sense that when his brothers were about to sell him into slavery, HE would have prayed, “God, STOP them from BETRAYING me.” But his PRAYER, which seems like it would have been God’s will, wouldn’t have been ANSWERED. That’s not because God didn’t LOVE him, but because God could see the BIG picture. HE knew the betrayal was a STEP that was leading Joseph down a difficult path to something AMAZING–saving his family from FAMINE. Had God kept him from the BETRAYAL, it would have kept him from his DESTINY.

When WE pray and it’s not answered in OUR way, it’s tempting to ask, “God, WHY not?” YOUR way may be more COMFORTABLE, but might LIMIT how HIGH you can go. God LOVES you too MUCH to answer a prayer that is going to keep you from your PURPOSE.

 Today’s Scripture: 

1 John 5:14, NIV
This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

YOU MAY NOT HAVE WHAT SOMEONE ELSE HAS, BUT GOD HAS PUT GREATNESS IN YOU

In the parable of the talents that Jesus told in Matthew 25, the owner gave one man ONE talent, another man TWO talents, and another man FIVE talents. It SEEMS like if God was FAIR, He would’ve given them all the SAME number, but God is SOVEREIGN. He might give you FIVE talents and give ME TWO talents. He’s GOD. I can COMPLAIN about the TWO, try to COMPETE with you and OUTPERFORM you, but you STILL have five and I have TWO. A BETTER approach is to say, “God, I’m not going to try to be someone who I’m NOT. I’m going to take these TWO talents and be the BEST I CAN BE.”

Don’t discount the GIFT God has put in YOU. Compared to others, it may FEEL insignificant to YOU, but there is NOTHING ordinary about you. You may not have what someone ELSE has, but God has put GREATNESS in you. If you faithfully develop the gift you HAVE, that gift will open doors to places you’ve never DREAMED.

Today’s Scripture:

Matthew 25:23, NLT

The master said, “Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!”

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

BE GOOD TO SOMEONE WHO DOESN’T DESERVE IT

Naaman was the commander of the Syrian army that had captured a young Israelite girl and brought her back as his wife’s maid. You can imagine how her life was turned upside down. Taken from her family and friends into a foreign country, she barely understood the language. Her hopes and dreams were SHATTERED, and it’s all because of NAAMAN. You would THINK she HATED him. But whenever he came home and took off his ARMOR, hidden underneath was the LEPORASY, eating away his body. She COULD have thought, “I hope you DIE. You wrecked my LIFE.” But INSTEAD, she was full of MERCY and offered the remedy through which he was completely HEALED. All because she showed KINDNESS to someone who had done her wrong.

It’s EASY to hold a grudge, try to pay someone BACK, IGNORE them, and make them SUFFER, but all THAT does is hold YOU down. JESUS says, “God BLESSES those who are MERCIFUL, for THEY will be shown mercy.” Be GOOD to someone who doesn’t DESERVE it.

Today’s Scripture:

2 Kings 5:2–3, MSG

It so happened that Aram, on one of its raiding expeditions against Israel, captured a young girl who became a maid to Naaman’s wife. One day she said to her mistress, “Oh, if only my master could meet the prophet of Samaria, he would be healed of his skin disease.”

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

WHAT YOU HAVEN’T SEEN OR IMAGINED IS ON THE WAY

God’s DREAM for your life is so much BIGGER than your own. What He has in your future is going to BOGGLE your mind. You can’t IMAGINE the PLACES He’s going to TAKE you, the people you’re going to MEET, the LEVELS you’re going to reach. Today’s Scripture says that if you think you’ve reached your limits, you better think AGAIN. God is about to take you into OVERFLOW, into ABUNDANCE, into MORE than enough. WHATEVER level you’re at, get READY, another level is COMING. What you haven’t seen or IMAGINED is on the way.

Circumstances may be against you, but the Most High GOD is FOR you. He’s working BEHIND the scenes. Things are happening that you can’t SEE. Keep being FAITHFUL. Keep doing the right THING. Keep going to work with a GOOD attitude. GOD is your source. I can ASSURE you HE’S keeping the records. Your time IS coming. It’s GOD taking pleasure in PROSPERING you. It’s God shining His FAVOR on you.

Today’s Scripture:

1 Corinthians 2:9, TLB

That is what is meant by Scriptures which say that no mere man has ever seen, heard, or even imagined what wonderful things God has ready for those who love the Lord.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

MAINTAINING YOUR PEACE IS EASIER THAT MAKING PEACE….

When we allow STRIFE into our life and RELATIONSHIPS, it damages our ATTITUDES, our DREAMS, our ENERGY, and our CREATIVITY. You make BETTER decisions and are more PRODUCTIVE and SUCCESSFUL if you take steps to have PEACE in your relationships. Where there’s UNITY, God’s favor, blessing, and ANOINTING are on YOU, your HOME, your MARRIAGE, and your FINANCES. The peace you bring will have such an ANOINTING, such a FAVOR on it, that it will OVERRIDE the NEGATIVE forces that are trying to bring your family DOWN.

The SCRIPTURE says, “BLESSED are the makers and MAINTAINERS of peace.” After an argument, we apologize, forgive each other, and make PEACE. That’s important, but we need to be more aware of MAINTAINING the peace. THAT means staying on the HIGH road–biting your tongue, not arguing, not being sarcastic, doing the RIGHT thing when the wrong thing is HAPPENING. MAINTAINING your peace is much EASIER than always having to MAKE peace, and with it, God brings His PROTECTION. He’ll keep you from unnecessary TROUBLE.

Today’s Scripture:

Ephesians 4:3, NLT

Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace.