THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

OUR GOD IS A GOD OF JUSTICE. HE’LL MAKE YOUR WRONGS RIGHT IF YOU’LL LEAVE IT WITH HIM.

In today’s Scripture, Jesus was talking about what we should do when somebody does us WRONG. Notice the principle of FORGIVENESS: let go of what you’re holding on to, DROP the matter. It’s EASY to get upset and stay offended, but you’re not hurting the OTHER person; you’re poisoning YOURSELF. The reason that Jesus says to leave it is that you’re going to be tempted LATER to pick up the hurt AGAIN when you think about what was said or DONE. Some people pick up the same offense for YEARS. It’s not a bag they CARRY anymore; unforgiveness is a part of who they ARE.

What was done might have been UNFAIR or UNKIND, but God is a God of JUSTICE. He’ll make your wrongs RIGHT. When you LEAVE it, that doesn’t mean you’re giving IN and don’t CARE about what happened. No, you’re saying, “God, YOU are my vindicator. I’m leaving that offense with YOU. I’m NOT carrying around any BAGGAGE.”

Today’s Scripture:

Mark 11:25, NLT

“But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too.”

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

YOU DON’T HAVE TO HAVE IT ALL TOGETHER TO DO SOMETHING GREAT

Many people don’t really like who they ARE. They FOCUS on their faults, their weaknesses. They’re constantly CRITICAL toward themselves. That recording of all the things WRONG with them keeps playing in their mind, “You’re impatient. You blew your diet. You should be ashamed of yourself.” They wonder why they’re not HAPPY, not realizing they have an inner WAR going on. It’s very FREEING when you can be happy with who you ARE even though you have SOME areas in which you still need to IMPROVE.

Think about what the apostle Paul said in today’s Scripture. Even HE still struggled in SOME areas. If he would have been down on himself, he would have never written almost half the books of the New Testament and become one of the HEROES of faith. You don’t have to have it ALL together to do something GREAT. If you’re waiting till you overcome EVERY weakness and perform PERFECTLY, you’ll be waiting your whole LIFE.

Today’s Scripture

Romans 7:19, NLT

I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

IN THE END, ALL THINGS ARE GOING TO WORK TO YOUR ADVANTAGE

The Scripture says that God declares “the end from the BEGINNING.” When God planned out YOUR life, He started with where He wants you to end UP, and then He worked BACKWARD. His plans for you are “to give you an EXPECTED end.” The GOOD news is that you don’t end in defeat, in failure, in disappointment, or in heartache. You end in VICTORY, fulfilling your DESTINY. You can live in PEACE, knowing that in the END, ALL things are going to work to your ADVANTAGE.

But there will be difficult SEASONS in your life when it looks as though things didn’t work out. You MAY be in a difficult season right NOW, and it may look as though your DREAM has died. You have to remind yourself that’s NOT how your story ends. The Most High God has already planned it for an EXPECTED end. If you’ll keep moving FORWARD, He’ll weave it all together. He’s already ESTABLISHED the end.

Today’s Scripture

Jeremiah 29:11, KJV

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

KEEP WHAT GOD HAS PROMISED AND SAID ABOUT YOU CLOSE TO YOUR HEART

Mary was engaged to the man of her DREAMS when the angel appeared and said she was going to have a BABY, the MESSIAH, WITHOUT knowing a man.

We focus on how AMAZING that supernatural birth was and FORGET that she had to explain that to her FIANCE, JOSEPH, who would in all likelihood call off the wedding. She had to accept the FACT that for her whole LIFE she would have to put up with shameful rumors and negative comments about who the father was. She could have EASILY been defensive, cynical, and bitter. But today’s Scripture says she took in all that God had said and “PONDERED it in her heart.” She thought about it over and over. What she kept close to her HEART was what God PROMISED her.

When worries come, people are spreading rumors about you, or a loss happens, keep what God has PROMISED and SAID about you close to your HEART. You will rise ABOVE the negative.

Today’s Scripture

Luke 2:19, NIV

But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

KNOWING WHO YOU’RE NOT WILL HELP YOU STAY FOCUSED ON BECOMING WHO YOU ARE

John the Baptist was baptizing people and gaining a lot of ATTENTION when the Jewish leaders asked him if he was the MESSIAH. Without missing a beat, John said, “I am NOT.” It’s important to know who you ARE and who you’re NOT. If you don’t KNOW this, you can spend your LIFE trying to be something you’re NOT. Knowing what you’re NOT will help you stay FOCUSED on becoming who you ARE because there will ALWAYS be PRESSURES to be THIS, to be THAT, to be the OTHER. If you’re trying to be something you’re NOT, you’ll be FRUSTRATED. There’s no GRACE for it. It will be a constant STRUGGLE, like it’s always UPHILL. When you’re YOU, you activate your ANOINTING. The ANOINTING on your life is to be who GOD CALLED you to be. There’s a FAVOR, a BLESSING, a GRACCE that is UNIQUE to your life.

Be CONFIDENT in what you HAVE. Keep being who God’s MADE you to BE.

Today’s Scripture

John 1:19–20, NLT

This was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders sent priests and Temple assistants from Jerusalem to ask John, “Who are you?” He came right out and said, “I am not the Messiah.”

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

NO ONE LIKES ADVERSITY, BUT KEEP THE RIGHT PERSPECTIVE. IT’S NO MATCH FOR OUR GOD

When it came TIME for God to promote David from the shepherds’ fields to the THRONE, what did He DO? God sent David a giant ENEMY. David could have said, “God, Samuel anointed me to be the next KING, but he didn’t say I was going to face a gigantic WARRIOR.” Instead, he REALIZED the giant had NOT been sent to defeat him but to SHOW people the ANOINTING on his life. That ONE victory gave David INSTANT respect from all the people of Israel and LED to the throne.

NO one likes ADVERSITY but keep the right PERSPECTIVE. It’s no match for our GOD. The forces FOR you are GREATER than the forces AGAINST you. Don’t run AWAY from the giant; run TO the giant. Overcoming that GIANT is going to ESTABLISH you and give you a new level of INFLUENCE. If you stay in FAITH, you’re going to come out PROMOTED to a NEW level of your DESTINY.

Today’s Scripture

1 Samuel 17:48, NLT

As Goliath moved closer to attack, David quickly ran out to meet him.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

WE SHOULD LIVE ON A MISSION TO GO OUT EACH DAY AND STRENGTHEN OTHERS

Jesus was telling Peter that FORCES were trying to keep him from his DESTINY, but He had prayed for Peter, and he WAS going to make it through. Then Jesus said something IMPORTANT. “When you have TURNED again, when you’re OUT of this trial, when you’re on the other SIDE with the VICTORY, HEALED, PROMOTED, and RESTORED, THEN strengthen your BROTHERS.” Whatever God has brought YOU through, whatever He’s turned AROUND, whatever He’s made happen that you COULDN’T make happen, that’s an OPPORTUNITY to STRENGTHEN someone. Every BLESSING, every HEALING, every BREAKTHROUGH was not just designed for YOU. It was to strengthen your BROTHERS.

We should LIVE on a MISSION. “I’m out to STRENGTHEN someone today. I’m going to ENCOURAGE someone. I’m going to help HEAL someone.” If you’ll let it flow to OTHERS, tell what GOD has done, speak LIFE and HEALING, share your SKILLS, TALENTS, and RESOURCES, then there’s no LIMIT to how HIGH God will take YOU.

Today’s Scripture

Luke 22:31–32, NIV

“Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

THE LORD IS MY LIGHT AND MY SALVATION SO WHY BE AFRAID?

David had all KINDS of things come against him—people, armies, even his own FAMILY. He had MANY reasons to live worried, upset, and bitter. But HE said, “The LORD is my light and my SALVATION—whom shall I fear? Why SHOULD I be afraid?” David lived with THIS attitude, “God’s GOT this. I’m NOT going to worry or live in fear. He will HIDE me when trouble comes. He will place me out of REACH.”

You may have discouraging situations and difficulties coming against YOU, but God has placed you out of REACH. They can’t defeat you. Now do like David and remain CONFIDENT. Keep your PEACE. You may feel like you’re surrounded by an ARMY, but the truth is you’re surrounded by God’s FAVOR. The forces that are FOR you are greater than the forces that are AGAINST you. God’s GOT this. He’s done it in the PAST, and He’s not going to stop NOW.

Today’s Scripture:

Psalm 27:5, NLT

For he will conceal me there when troubles come; he will hide me in his sanctuary. He will place me out of reach on a high rock.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

TAKE THE PRESSURE OFF AND RECEIVE GOD’S LOVE TODAY…

“REAL love” is not our love for GOD, it’s God’s love for US. When we try to PERFORM to gain His love, the problem is that we can NEVER measure up. There will ALWAYS be something we can’t do right, some reason we can’t feel GOOD about ourselves. Why don’t you take the pressure OFF and receive REAL love, God’s love for YOU?

That’s what the lady who was caught in the act of ADULTERY had to do in John 8. When her religious accusers walked AWAY, failing to CONDEMN her, Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin NO more.” He didn’t say, “Go and change your WAYS, quit giving in to the TEMPTATION, and THEN I’ll love you, then I’ll be FOR you.” Just the OPPOSITE. He FIRST said, “I don’t CONDEMN you.” BEFORE He talked about her behavior, before he addressed the ISSUES, Jesus made SURE she knew SHE was the one whom He LOVED.

Today’s Scripture

1 John 4:10, NLT

This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

WHEN EVERYTHING COMES TOGETHER, IT WILL FIT PERFECTLY INTO PLACE

We all go through painful TIMES when we’re hurting, lonely, undergoing medical treatment, and on the SURFACE, the pieces of our life don’t make SENSE. We think they CAN’T be a part of God’s plan. Pain is a part of LIFE, and it often feels like a dark PLACE. It’s easy to get discouraged and think, God, why did this HAPPEN? You have to trust that even THEN, God doesn’t make any mistakes. He’s already designed your life and laid out EVERY piece down to the smallest DETAIL. He never said we would UNDERSTAND everything along the way.

God didn’t promise that there wouldn’t be any pain, suffering, or disappointment. But He DID promise that it would all work out for our GOOD. That PIECE that’s painful, that doesn’t LOOK as though it makes sense—when everything comes TOGETHER, it’s going to fit PERFECTLY in place. You just can’t see it NOW because the other pieces are not in PLACE.

Today’s Scripture

1 Corinthians 13:12, NLT

Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity.