THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

THE ROLE OF A FATHER IS TO REFLECT GOD TO THEIR CHILDREN

FATHERS play such an IMPORTANT roll in the lives of their children. Fathers pour CONFIDENCE, HOPE, LOVE, and SECURITY into them and in turn, their children REFLECT that. It’s one way of showing HONOR. In the natural, the role of the father is to REFLECT God to their children.

If you are a father, always keep that in mind. You are INVESTING in your children and your input in their lives is so VALUABLE.

When you think about your own Father, maybe he had some characteristics you don’t want to reflect. That’s where God makes up the difference. Don’t dwell on your father’s shortcomings, instead, dwell on the GOOD things he poured into you. Be thankful for the LIFE you have and WHO you are. HONOR your father today because God promises to BLESS you. REFLECT Him by showing HONOR and let His GLORY shine on you!

Today’s Scripture:

“The glory of children are their fathers.”

Proverbs 17:6, KJV

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

TAKE ACTION TODAY, WHILE YOU STILL HAVE THE FAITH FOR IT AND THE WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY IS STILL OPEN. DON’T PUT IT OFF ANY LONGER…..

In Acts 24, the apostle Paul had an OPPORTUNITY to share his faith with the Roman governor of Judea, a man named Felix and his wife. Felix was a RUTHLESS, IMMORAL governor, and today’s Scripture describes his REACTION. He KNEW he needed to change. This was a window of GRACE. God was speaking to his heart. But Felix put OFF dealing with the CONVICTION, and we don’t KNOW if that convenient time ever CAME. Two years later, he was out of office and GONE.

Are YOU waiting for a more convenient time, putting off dealing with a CONVICTION or a change of ATTITUDE, delaying to take a step of FAITH, ignoring God’s still, small VOICE? You don’t KNOW how long the window is going to be open. Don’t keep making EXCUSES. When you have the FAITH for it, that’s the time to ACT. TODAY, when you hear His voice, step into the GRACE. Take advantage of the OPPORTUNITY God is offering you to come up HIGHER, to see His favor in GREATER ways.

Today’s Scripture:

Acts 24:25, NIV

As Paul talked about righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and said, “That’s enough for now! You may leave. When I find it convenient, I will send for you.”

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

YOU CAN BE THAT PERSON….BLESS THE PEOPLE AROUND YOU, GOD PLACED THEM IN YOUR LIFE FOR A REASON. PASS THE TEST

Even though some people LOOK like they’re doing fine and don’t NEED ENCOURAGEMENT, the TRUTH is that EVERYBODY needs somebody cheering them on, somebody who sees the BEST in them, somebody who BELIEVES in them and SUPPORTS them. YOU can be that person for the people in YOUR life. Many times, YOU can see things in other people that they can’t see in THEMSELVES. Your words of ENCOURAGEMENT, your words of BLESSING can help them step up to who they were created to BE. YOU can be the one they can count on, because you’re not going to find FAULT with them, but YOU’LL be the one who always has HEALING words that UPLIFT and push them into their DESTINY.

EVERYBODY is going through something difficult. Be on the lookout for those AROUND you. There are people whom God has in your life RIGHT now who need your LOVE, your ENCOURAGEMENT, your KINDNESS. Live with the attitude, “Who can I bless and lift UP today? Who can I ENCOURAGE to pursue their DREAMS?”

Today’s Scripture:

Acts 11:23, NIV

When he arrived and saw what the grace of God had done, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

BE GRATEFUL FOR WHAT’S IN FRONT OF YOU…..

Praise is NOT just WORDS; it’s an ATTITUDE. Our LIFE should be a praise to God. We should be GRATEFUL, have a SMILE, be GOOD to people, and be passionate about our DREAMS. When you’ve learned the secret to bless the Lord at ALL times, you can be in a pit but nobody around you KNOWS it. You’re NOT sour. You don’t have a CHIP on your shoulder.

ANYONE can give God praise when things are going your WAY. But the TEST is, will you praise Him in the WILDERNESS? Will you WORSHIP Him in SPITE of what’s not working, praise Him in spite of who did you WRONG? The way you bless the Lord at all TIMES is by your PRAISE, by ALWAYS finding something to be GRATEFUL for, by NOT dwelling on wrongs but THANKING God for what’s RIGHT. It’s by NOT focusing on what you LOST but THANKING God for what you have LEFT, and by NOT complaining about what’s BEHIND you but by being GRATEFUL for what’s in FRONT of you.

Today’s Scripture:

Psalm 34:1, NKJV

I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO FULFILL YOUR DESTINY WILL ARRIVE, RIGHT ON SCHEDULE

In Genesis 37, the brothers of Joseph hated him SO much that they threw him into a deep pit and were going to leave him there to DIE. But JUST then they saw a caravan of Ishmaelite merchants coming their way, and they decided to SELL Joseph to THEM. What’s interesting is that TRADE caravan had been traveling for MONTHS on their way to sell their goods in EGYPT. LONG before Joseph was thrown into the pit, the answer was ALREADY on the way. Long before Joseph had the PROBLEM, God had the ANSWER already set UP.

God knows WHAT you’re going to need, when you’re going to NEED it, and how to get it TO you. The PROBLEM you’re worried about, God has the answer already en ROUTE. The vindication, the healing, or the breakthrough is already set UP. When you’re tempted to WORRY, remember that everything you need to fulfill your destiny is right ON schedule. It may not have happened YET, but what God has ORDAINED is on the WAY.

Today’s Scripture:

Isaiah 65:24, NLT

I will answer them before they even call to me.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

LET GO AND LET GOD LEAD…..

When Abraham left his country, the Lord had told him to take ONLY his immediate family, but HE added his nephew Lot. It wasn’t long before there was strife and conflict between his herders and Lot’s herders, and they had to SEPARATE with Lot taking the better LAND. Later Lot and his family were taken CAPTIVE, and Abraham had to RESCUE them, risking his OWN safety and spending all his time and energy on problems he never should have had in the FIRST place.

DIFFICULTIES come whenever we aren’t willing to LEAVE people whom God TELLS us to leave. Perhaps it’s a FRIEND whom you’ve known is not GOOD for you. NOW you’re dealing with unnecessary trouble and HEARTACHE. What’s INTERESTING is the name LOT means “veil or COVERING.” When you leave what you’re SUPPOSED to leave, the veil will come OFF. You’ll SEE things that you’ve never SEEN–new friends, new opportunities, new talents, new LEVELS. Are YOU holding on to someone or something God is telling YOU to let GO of?

Today’s Scripture:

Genesis 12:1, NLT

The LORD had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you.”

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

THERE IS NO REASON TO BE AFRAID

In Mark 4, Jesus and His disciples were sailing across a lake when they were caught in a FURIOUS night windstorm. The disciples PANICKED, thinking the boat was going to CAPSIZE, so they woke JESUS up. He REBUKED the storm and everything calmed down, then He asked them, “Why are you AFRAID? Do you still have no FAITH?” They had seen Jesus perform miracle after miracle, and they had the Son of God in their BOAT. They didn’t realize the wind and waves couldn’t STO[ the God who CREATED the winds and waves.

Are YOU worried about something even though God is in YOUR boat? He has already PROMISED that those winds of opposition can’t STOP you–the sickness, the injustice, the people trying to DISCREDIT you. Can I encourage you that the God who controls the universe is right there WITH you? Start THANKING Him that HE’S fighting your battles, start SHINING where you ARE, being your BEST in SPITE of the difficulties. There is NO reason to be AFRAID.

Today’s Scripture:

Mark 4:36, AMP

So leaving the crowd, they took Him with them, just as He was, in the boat.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

WHEN YOU CHOOSE TO LIVE UNCOMMON, GOD WILL SHINE HIS FAVOR ON YOU

Daniel was a Hebrew teenager who had been taken into Babylon to be trained to serve the KING. But the Babylonians worshipped IDOLS and wanted Daniel to COMPROMISE his faith by doing THEIR rituals and customs. They TRIED to get him to eat the king’s food and drink their wine, but Daniel had promised God he wouldn’t DO that. Daniel didn’t let them squeeze him into their mold. He RECOGNIZED that he had been set APART, and he purposed in his heart to NOT be common. If you read the REST of Daniel’s story, you’ll discover that Daniel was given great WISDOM and was made the RULER of the province of BABYLON.

When YOU choose to live UNCOMMON–you’re willing to make sacrifices that others won’t MAKE, to resist the TEMPTATION when others are giving IN, to FORGIVE when it’s not FAIR–God will shine His FAVOR on you. You’ll have wisdom BEYOND your years, creativity, ideas, and ABILITY. As He did for DANIEL, God will open doors you never DREAMED would open.

Today’s Scripture:

Daniel 1:8, NKJV

But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank…

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

REST ASSURED THAT THROUGH IT ALL, THE PLAN GOD LAID OUT FOR YOUR LIFE IS STILL ON TRACK

In John 11, after Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, some of His critics rushed back to Jerusalem to tell the religious leaders. Lazarus’ RESURRECTION was a strategic part of the plan of GOD that set in motion all the OTHER events that led Jesus to be crucified. That’s why Jesus waited on PURPOSE for Lazarus to die. He could have gone there sooner and HEALED Lazarus while he was ALIVE. But HE knew the RESURRECTION would create such a COMMOTION that His haters would feel FORCED to take action. Jesus’ TIME had come.

Sometimes what seems like a crisis to US is actually the plan of GOD. Mary and Martha were upset that Jesus came too LATE. They had no idea that their CRISIS was in God’s perfect PLAN. They thought things were OUT of control, but God was in COMPLETE CONTROL. Even in our CRISIS, God is STILL on the throne. Nothing happens randomly. Rest assured that through it ALL, the plan He laid out for YOUR life is STILL on track.

Today’s Scripture:

John 11:53, NLT

So from that time on, the Jewish leaders began to plot Jesus’ death.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

GOD HAS SOME THINGS IN YOUR FUTURE THAT ARE GOING TO LEAVE YOU AMAZED…..

In Acts 3, Peter spoke a WORD of faith to a crippled beggar, and he was instantly HEALED. When that man woke up that morning, his EXPECTANCY was to receive a few coins for his SURVIVAL. He didn’t realize he was just one TOUCH of God’s favor away from having his whole LIFE changed. When people realized what had HAPPENED, they were absolutely ASTONISHED, and many of them came to faith in Christ as a RESULT.

God has some things in YOUR future that are going to leave YOU amazed and the people around you ASTOUNDED. You weren’t created to live in dysfunction, with addictions, and to be constantly struggling. That may be how it’s been in the PAST, but that’s NOT in your FUTURE. God is about to do a NEW thing. He’s going to break bondages that have held you BACK. He’s going to increase you to where you have MORE than enough. That sickness is NOT permanent. Healing IS coming. WHOLENESS is on the way. VICTORY is in your future.

Today’s Scripture:

Acts 3:9–10, NLT

All the people saw him walking and heard him praising God. When they realized he was the lame beggar they had seen so often at the Beautiful Gate, they were absolutely astounded!