THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

IT’S NOT TOO LATE FOR WHATEVER STINKS IN YOUR LIFE…..

In John 11, when Jesus showed up at Lazarus’ house four days after he had DIED, Lazarus had been in the tomb SO long that his body STUNK. At times, we all have THINGS in life that stink. Maybe a RELATIONSHIP feels so dead that it stinks. Your FINANCES stink. The LAYOFF stinks. That MISTAKE you made that set you BACK stinks.

Jesus went to the tomb, where the STINK was, and told them to ROLL away the stone. Sometimes we think that God will help us only if we’re GOOD enough, but God goes TO the stinky places in our lives. That PERSON who hurt you–it STINKS. God is saying, “Let Me IN. I’m going to wake up the HEALING, wake up the RESTORATION, wake up the new BEGINNING.” That past MISTAKE you made and feel CONDEMNED about–IT stinks. God is saying, “Roll that stone AWAY. I’m waking up FORGIVENESS, CLEANSING, and REDEMPTION.” It’s NOT too late for whatever STINKS in your life. GOD is saying, “LET ME IN.”

Today’s Scripture:

John 11:39, NLT

“Roll the stone aside,” Jesus told them. But Martha, the dead man’s sister, protested, “Lord, he has been dead for four days. The smell will be terrible.”

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

YOU ARE EN ROUTE TO YOUR DESTINATION…..

God will DELIVER us from trouble, but consider it in a NEW light. The post office picks up a package in New York, and drivers DELIVER it to California. “DELIVER” means they TRANSPORT it from one location to ANOTHER. It may go through five STOPS along the way before it is DELIVERED. In the same WAY, right NOW God is DELIVERING you from TROUBLE. You’re en route, and there may be some STOPS along the way. But don’t worry, you’re not delivered YET. You’re in DEBT, but God is DELIVERING you into ABUNDANCE. You’re dealing with DEPRESSION, but God is DELIVERING you into JOY. When those THOUGHTS tell you, “This trouble is PERMANENT. It’s NEVER going to change,” just shake OFF the discouragement and answer back, “NO, I’m being DELIVERED. This trouble is NOT going to stop ME; it’s going to TRANSPORT me.” God is going to open NEW doors, turn impossible situations AROUND and push you into a level of your DESTINY that you would NEVER have experienced WITHOUT it.

Today’s Scripture:

Psalm 34:17, NIV

The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; He delivers them from all their troubles.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

GOD IS FULL OF MERCY, HE WON’T TURN HIS BACK ON YOU….

When the Israelites were in the desert on the way to the Promised Land, they got TIRED, started COMPLAINING, and wouldn’t obey God’s COMMANDS. But God DIDN’T say, “You’re DONE.” He kept providing them water and food and helping them defeat their ENEMIES. At one point they made an IDOL and said, “THIS is the god that brought us out of slavery.” After ALL God had done for them, you would think GOD would say, “All right, YOU’RE on your OWN,” but God would NOT abandon them.

When WE make mistakes, God doesn’t abandon US. When we don’t follow His commands, we get off course, God doesn’t give UP on us. Even when we ignore Him or give somebody else the credit that HE deserves, He DOESN’T say, “I’ll show YOU who’s in charge.” HE’S full of MERCY. He WON’T turn His BACK on you. You may have made some poor DECISIONS, but through His GRACE and unfailing LOVE, He ALREADY has a NEW way to get you to your DESTINATION.

Today’s Scripture:

Nehemiah 9:17, NLT

They refused to obey and…became stubborn and appointed a leader to take them back to their slavery in Egypt. But you are a God of forgiveness, gracious and merciful, slow to become angry, and rich in unfailing love. You did not abandon them…

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

GOD WILL TAKE YOU FROM VICTORY TO VICTORY, BUT HE MAY NOT DO IT THE SAME WAY EACH TIME

When the Israelites were desperate for WATER in the wilderness, God told Moses to “STRIKE” the rock at Horeb and water flowed out freely. It was a great MIRACLE. At a later time of need, God told Moses to “SPEAK TO” the rock at Kadesh. The problem was, Moses was on autopilot and didn’t do it GOD’S way. He STRUCK the rock TWICE, and though water FLOWED, his actions kept him from going into the Promised Land.

The principle is that YESTERDAY’S instructions may not WORK today. God wants us to rely on HIM, not some PAST formula. He changes the method so we have to come to Him for daily INSTRUCTIONS. He’ll take you from VICTORY to VICTORY, but He may NOT do it the same WAY. Don’t get stuck in HOW it happened in the PAST. God is wanting to do a NEW thing, in a new WAY, with new IDEAS and new PEOPLE. Listen to what God is saying NOW, and you’ll see water begin to flow in GREATER ways.

Today’s Scripture:

Exodus 17:6, NIV

I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

THIS IS A NEW DAY, TAKE YOUR STAND…..

After Moses received the Ten Commandments on the mountain, he discovered the Israelites worshiping a calf made out of gold. He was FURIOUS, knowing that God was about to bring JUDGMENT upon them. When Moses called to the people, “Who is on the LORD’S side?” the sons of LEVI took a STAND and did the right THING. Because of that DECISION, God declared that all the PRIESTS would come through the tribe of LEVI.

What’s INTERESTING is that they were DESENDENTS of Levi, whose father was JACOB and whose grandmother was Rebekah–ALL who had been DECEIVERS. These men were saying in effect, “This is a NEW day. We’re NOT going to be DEFINED by our PAST. We’re going to BREAK this dysfunction, this GENERATIONAL curse, and start a generational BLESSING.” That’s what happens when you decide to get RID of NEGATIVE things that have been passed DOWN. That DYSFUNCTION may not have STARTED with you, but it can STOP with you. Rise UP and say, “Today it ENDS. I am on the LORD’S side.”

Today’s Scripture:

Exodus 32:26, NKJV

…then Moses stood in the entrance of the camp, and said, “Whoever is on the LORD’s side–come to me!” And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together to him.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

GOD’S APPROVAL IS NOT BASED ON YOUR PERFORMANCE…..

Today’s Scripture DOESN’T say, “God approves you as long as you don’t make any MISTAKES and don’t have any WEAKNESSES.” No, He APPROVED you before you were formed in your mother’s WOMB. This means He approves you WITH those weaknesses and DESPITE those shortcomings. You’re NOT defective; you’re not a MISTAKE. When God CREATED you, He called you a MASTERPIECE. He stepped back and said, “That was VERY GOOD.”

We ALL have flaws and weaknesses. A lot of times we think we can’t feel GOOD about ourselves until we do everything RIGHT. If we resist the TEMPTATION, if we bite our TONGUE, if we’re more PATIENT, THEN we believe God will approve us. The TRUTH is, there’s nothing you can DO to make God love you MORE. His APPROVAL is not based on your PERFORMANCE; it’s based on your RELATIONSHIP. He handPICKED you. He chose YOU before you could choose HIM. Since God APPROVES you, why don’t you start approving YOURSELF? Why don’t you start feeling GOOD about who you ARE?

Today’s Scripture:

Jeremiah 1:5, AMP

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you [and approved of you as My chosen instrument], and before you were born I consecrated you…

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

THERE ARE TIMES WHEN YOU NEED TO WALK AWAY AND LET GOD MAKE IT UP TO YOU

In Genesis 26, Isaac moved to the valley to get away from the local Philistines’ opposition. He could have fought them and WON. Once in the valley, he reopened two wells that were rightfully HIS, but local herders QUARRELED over the wells, so he let them HAVE the wells. One of the wells he named “ARGUMENT” and the other “OPPOSITION.” He KNEW that although he could have KEPT them, it wouldn’t be worth the ongoing strife and CONFLICT. He then dug a THIRD well that was NOT contested, and he named it “ROOM ENOUGH” or “WIDE-OPEN SPACES.”

Too often we get bogged down at the well of ARGUMENT and OPPOSITION, trying to prove our point and convince people we’re RIGHT. SOMETIMES you need to stay and fight for what belongs to you, but SOME battles that you could win are not WORTH fighting. There are times when you need to walk AWAY and let GOD make it up to you. Take the HIGH road to the valley where there’s ROOM ENOUGH, ABUNDANCE, and WIDE-OPEN places.

Today’s Scripture:

Genesis 26:22, TLB

Abandoning that one, he dug again, and the local residents finally left him alone. So he called it, “The Well of Room Enough for Us at Last!” “For now at last,” he said, “the Lord has made room for us and we shall thrive.”

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

IT’S GOOD TO PRAY AND RELEASE YOUR FAITH, BUT DON’T STOP THERE….

We all face challenging SITUTAIONS and troubled RELATIONSHIPS that we’re believing will turn AROUND, but nothing is CHANGING. Sometimes the secret to solving a problem ISN’T in praying more or working HARDER; it’s in helping someone ELSE solve THEIR problem. As you take the focus off YOURSELF and help OTHERS in your time of need, you’re sowing a SEED that will bring the harvest YOU’RE waiting for. When you take your hands off YOUR problem and be good to someone ELSE, God will put HIS hands on YOUR problem and make things happen that you COULDN’T make happen.

Today’s Scripture says it was “AFTER” Job had prayed for his FRIENDS that HIS problems were solved in ABUNDANCE. Can you imagine how many times Job had already prayed for HIMSELF when he was dealing with all of HIS great losses, especially for his HEALING? It’s good to PRAY and release your FAITH, but don’t stop there, because there are times when YOUR breakthrough is tied to helping someone ELSE get THEIR breakthrough.

Today’s Scripture:

Job 42:10, NIV

After Job had prayed for his friends, the LORD restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

COMMITTED PEOPLE SEE DREAMS COME TO PASS AND REACH THE FULLNESS OF THEIR DESTINY

Today’s Scripture:

1 Corinthians 15:58, NKJV

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

THIS IS A NEW DAY AND GOD IS ABOUT TO DO A NEW THING

In today’s Scripture, Jesus’ question to the disabled man lying by the pool of Bethesda in Jerusalem seemed OBVIOUS–everyone around that pool was there to be HEALED of something. Jesus’ question tells us there was nothing in this man’s behavior or ATTITUDE that said he wanted to get WELL, nothing that said, “I’m expecting things to CHANGE.” Rather than saying, “Yes, that’s what I’m believing for,” he made excuses and tried to JUSTIFY his condition. MERCIFULLY, even though he had gotten comfortable in his DYSFUNCTION, Jesus HEALED him.

If you’ve had bad breaks and gone through unfair SITUATIONS, it’s EASY to live negatively, but that’s only going to cause you to get stuck by the POOL. Don’t have a VICTIM mentality; have a VICTOR mentality. No PERSON, no bad BREAK, no ADDICTION, and no SICKNESS has the POWER to keep you from your DESTINY. Tell the self-pity, tell the excuses, tell the DOUBTS, “It is FINISHED.” This is a NEW day. God is about to do a new THING.

Today’s Scripture:

John 5:6, NIV

When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?”