THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

DON’T EXCHANGE WHAT YOU DO KNOW, FOR WHAT YOU DON’T KNOW

One night the teenage son of a couple we know was killed in a car accident. You can imagine how devastated and heartbroken they were. Many couples would get angry and let the tragedy sour the rest of their lives. They went through a dark time, but they came through it and explained how: “We made the DECISION that we were NOT going to EXCHANGE what we DO know for what we DON’T know. We KNOW that God is GOOD, that He’s LOVING, that He’s FOR us. We would not let one SITUATION that we don’t understand cancel all that OUT.”

If you’re always trying to figure out WHY something happened, you’re going to get frustrated and bitter. If God wants you to KNOW why, He’ll TELL you why. But there are SOME things God doesn’t WANT us to know yet. If you’re going to TRUST God, you have to be MATURE enough to drop it and say, “God, I don’t HAVE to have all the answers. You’re GOD. YOUR ways are BETTER than mine.”

Today’s Scripture

Proverbs 25:2, NLT

It is God’s privilege to conceal things…

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

SMALL ACTS OF OBEDIENCE LEAD TO BIG BLESSINGS

Naaman was the commander of the Syrian army, a very POWERFUL man, but he had leprosy, an incurable disease. He traveled a great distance to have the prophet Elisha PRAY for him, but he was OFFENDED when Elisha told him to wash seven times in the Jordan River and he would be HEALED. He had a preconceived idea of HOW God was going to do it, but you can’t put God in a box. He may not turn your problem around in a TRADITIONAL way. Stay open and let God do it HIS way. Naaman didn’t want to do this small thing, but when he finally DID, he found that small acts of OBEDIENCE lead to big BLESSINGS. When you obey in the SMALL things, when it doesn’t seem like it MATTERS, when nobody is WATCHING, that OBEDIENCE leads to God’s favor in BIG ways. When you obey, MIRACLES happen, HEALING is released, new doors OPEN, and problems turn AROUND.

Today’s Scripture

2 Kings 5:11, NIV

But Naaman went away angry and said, “I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy.”

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

STAY IN FAITH BECAUSE GOD IS ABOUT TO SURPRISE YOU

The Israelites had been taken into captivity by the Babylonians. The return and the RESTORATION of Jerusalem had been anticipated for SO long that it seemed like a DREAM to them. Some of them had waited their entire LIFETIME. Their JOY was beyond CONTAINING. They were laughing in AMAZEMENT, saying, “This is like a dream. It’s too good to be true.” Some of the things YOU’VE been dreaming about—to get out of DEBT, to start that BUSINESS, to meet the right PERSON, to finish COLLEGE—the odds may be AGAINST you, it seems LAUGHABLE, but God is about to SURPRISE you. Stay in FAITH, because like the Israelites, the day is coming where God fills your mouth with the laughter of AMAZEMENT. It’s going to seem like a DREAM. You’re not only going to be AMAZED, but the people AROUND you are going to be SO in awe that all they can do is LAUGH with you.

Today’s Scripture

Psalm 126:1–2, NIV

When the LORD restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dreamed. Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

DO IT IN SPITE OF THE FEAR, THAT’S WHAT FAITH IS ALL ABOUT.

God has put GIFTS and TALENTS in you. He’s given you DREAMS and GOALS that are unique to YOUR life. But it’s easy to let FEAR hold you back. “What if I try it and it doesn’t work…what if people don’t ACCEPT me…what if I DON’T have the talent?” Too often we let the what-ifs talk us OUT of it. Quit HIDING the DREAMS and TALENT that God has given you. He created you to SHINE, to make a DIFFERENCE, to leave your MARK. Your gift isn’t just for YOU; it’s to share with the WORLD. Life is SHORT, so stir UP what God put in you. You can’t wait till the FEAR goes away and then you’ll do it. The fear may not GO away. You’re going to have to do it in SPITE of the FEAR. That’s what FAITH is all about. NOBODY who’s ever done anything GREAT in life has done it without FEAR.

Today’s Scripture

Matthew 5:15, NLT

“No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house.”

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

GOD KNOWS WHAT YOU ARE CAPABLE OF…..

There was a man in the Scripture named Gideon whom God wanted to lead the people of Israel against an opposing army. The angel appeared to him and said, “Hello, Gideon, you MIGHTY man of FEARLESS courage,” I can imagine Gideon looking around thinking, Who is he TALKING to? Gideon was afraid, intimidated, and insecure. But notice that God didn’t call him what he WAS. God called him what he could BECOME.

God sees your POTENTIAL. God knows what you’re CAPABLE of. You may FEEL weak, but God calls you STRONG. You may be intimidated TODAY, but God calls you CONFIDENT. You may feel less than, but God calls you well ABLE. If the Angel of the Lord were to appear to YOU today, He would say the same THING he said to Gideon. “Hello, you MIGHTY man, you MIGHTY woman of fearless COURAGE.” Why don’t you get in AGREEMENT with God and start BELIEVING what HE says about you?

Today’s Scripture

Judges 6:12, 14, NLT

The angel of the LORD appeared to him and said, “Mighty hero, the LORD is with you!… Go with the strength you have, and rescue Israel from the Midianites. I am sending you!”

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

YOU CAN TALK YOURSELF INTO DEFEAT, OR INTO VICTORY

Thirteen years after David was anointed to be the next king of Israel, he was STILL living as a fugitive from King Saul. Then one day, he and his six hundred men came home and found their city had been BURNED, their possessions TAKEN, and their families taken CAPTIVE. It was the worst DEFEAT of David’s life. He and his men WEPT until they could not weep anymore. He was tempted to think, God, I’ve been FAITHFUL year after year. This is the final straw. But David made a decision: “I am NOT allowing this discouragement to STAY. I am STRONG in the Lord. I am His ANOINTED.” You can talk yourself into DEFEAT or into VICTORY. When you speak the RIGHT way, STRENGTH comes, COURAGE comes, VISION comes, HEALING comes. Turn the discouragement around and say, “YES, this is TOUGH, but I am STRONG in the Lord. No weapon formed against ME will prosper.” STRENGTHEN yourself in the Lord.

Today’s Scripture

1 Samuel 30:6, ESV

David was greatly distressed…But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

ONE GOOD BREAK CAN PUT YOU INTO OVERFLOW

We all have dreams we’re believing to ACCOMPLISH, problems we’re HOPING will turn around. Many times in the NATURAL it looks as though it’s going to take YEARS to happen. But God doesn’t always FOLLOW a natural timeline. He knows how to open the windows of HEAVEN. ONE good break can put you into OVERFLOW. You’re going to look up and think, How did I GET here so QUICKLY? What was THAT? The God of ACCELERATION, speeding it UP, MAKING things happen that you COULDN’T make happen. This is what the prophet Amos said. Things are going to happen SO fast—breakthroughs in your FINANCES, PROMOTIONS, HEALING—that your HEAD will swim. Yes, there are seasons of patiently WAITING, being FAITHFUL, passing the TESTS, but there are also seasons where God will ACCELERATE the work and do things SO fast, so AMAZING that your HEAD will spin. God works where there’s FAITH, where there’s EXPECTANCY. Take the LIMITS off of God.

Today’s Scripture

Amos 9:13, MSG

“Things are going to happen so fast your head will swim, one thing fast on the heels of the other. You won’t be able to keep up. Everything will be happening at once—and everywhere you look, blessings!”

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

TODAY, DECLARE THAT YOU ARE FREE, AND CELEBRATE YOUR FREEDOM

Today in America, we CELEBRATE Independence Day. July 4, 1776 was the day America declared their independence, but the battle for freedom went on until 1783—seven years later. Even though the people DECLARED their FREEDOM in 1776, they had to stand and fight for many years before the British would accept and recognize the United States of America.

Do you know what the early colonists did once they signed the Declaration of Independence? They read it OUT LOUD in public. They published it in the newspaper. They SPREAD THE WORD. They continued to DECLARE and CELEBRATE even though they were in the midst of the battle.

In the same way, we have to DECLARE our FREEDOM and be determined to stand against the opposing forces of darkness in our lives TODAY. We have to DECLARE our freedom from addiction, poverty, sickness and lack. We have to stand and fight until we fully experience His FREEDOM and the PEACE that He has promised.

Today, no matter what battle YOU may be facing, DECLARE that you are free and CELEBRATE your FREEDOM because VICTORY is on the way!

Today’s Scripture:

“You have been set free from sin…”

Romans 6:18, NIV

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

GOD HAS EQUIPPED YOU FOR YOUR JOURNEY THROUGH THIS LIFE…

Are you going through a season where you feel like every time you try to move forward, you hit a roadblock? Something happens that throws you off course. Be ENCOURAGED today because when you submit your life to the Lord, He PROMISES to go BEFORE you. He is PREPARING a way for you. He is making your crooked places straight and your rough places smooth. You may be going through a difficult time right now, but it’s not the end. It’s only the beginning, and God has EQUIPPED you for this journey.

Today, if you feel like you’re in a dry season, don’t look at your circumstances. Look at the PROMISE of God! If you’ll keep speaking words of FAITH, God promises that He’ll anoint your head with oil and your cup will RUN OVER. That means you’ll be REFRESHED and ANOINTED to do what He’s called you to do. God is PREPARING your path and EQUIPPING you for the journey.

What do YOU need in order to keep moving forward? Start by checking your ATTITUDE. Don’t go around complaining or focused on the negative side of things. Put on an attitude of PRAISE and THANKSGIVING. Thank Him for making your crooked places STRAIGHT! Keep your eyes on HIM and follow Him FORWARD into the path of VICTORY!

Today’s Scripture:

I will go before you and make the crooked places straight…

Isaiah 45:2, NKJV

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

WHEN YOU PRAY, ALL OF HEAVEN COMES TO ATTENTION…..

It’s good to pray and ask God to help you with every need, but don’t STOP there. Today’s Scripture tells us to pray for one ANOTHER. You have the ability to help someone ELSE reach their DESTINY. There are people God has put in your life who won’t BECOME all they were created to be without you PRAYING. They don’t have the FAITH to accomplish their dreams, they won’t BREAK the addiction, they won’t OVERCOME the challenge without you stepping up and asking God to HELP them. Prayer moves the hands that rule the WORLD. Prayer causes the God who created the universe to make things happen that we couldn’t MAKE happen. When you PRAY, all of Heaven comes to ATTENTION and the angels go to work. Chains of depression, sickness, and loneliness that have held others back begin to LOOSEN. It may not HAPPEN overnight, but your PRAYERS have great POWER and will produce WONDERFUL results.

Today’s Scripture

James 5:16, NLT

Pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.