THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

WHAT GOD NAMES YOU OVERRIDES WHAT PEOPLE NAME YOU

In Genesis 35, just before Rachel died while giving birth, she was in so much pain and distress that she named the baby Ben-Oni, which means “son of my SORROW.” Back in those days, a child’s name set the DIRECTION for their life. She had pronounced that he would live a sorrowful, painful, depressing life. But Jacob intervened and CHANGED his name to Benjamin, which means “son of my right hand, son of my STRENGTH.” Jacob would not allow his son to see himself as a son of sorrow, as limited and defeated.

Perhaps the people who should have been speaking FAITH over you, AFFIRMING you, naming you VICTORIOUS, TALENTED, and a MASTERPIECE did just the opposite. If they named you a failure, not good enough, or not talented, the GOOD news is that what GOD names you OVERRIDES what PEOPLE name you. Don’t let the negative things PEOPLE have spoken over you, how you were RAISED, or what you didn’t GET determine your DESTINY. CHANGE your name to what GOD calls you.

Today’s Scripture:

Genesis 35:18, NLT

The baby’s father, however, called him Benjamin (which means “son of my right hand”).

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

….MORE REWARDING THAN YOU EVER THOUGHT POSSIBLE

The prophet Joel said, “Wake UP the mighty men!” I’m here to wake up your DREAMS, wake up your TALENTS, wake up your POTENTIAL, wake up what GOD put in you. You may have let some circumstances convince you that it’s never going to happen, but I believe you’re going to rise UP and see it come to PASS. Don’t be discouraged by the disappointment, the closed door, or the bad break. That’s a SIGN that the dream is still ALIVE in you.

Get your HOPES up. Every morning, rise up and REMIND yourself to be PATIENT, to PERSEVERE, and to PREPARE. Keep HONORING God, keep being your BEST, and what He has PROMISED you IS going to THRUST you to a NEW level of your DESTINY. What GOD has put in you is going to take you FURTHER and be BIGGER than YOU could have IMAGINED, better than ANYTHING you’ve ever DREAMED, and more REWARDING than you ever thought POSSIBLE.

Today’s Scripture:

Judges 5:12, NIV

Wake up, wake up, Deborah! Wake up, wake up, break out in song! Arise, Barak! Take captive your captives…

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

THE NEGATIVE THINGS WE EXPERIENCE ARE SERVING GOD’S PLAN

It’s EASY to get frustrated when things take much LONGER than we think they SHOULD. We ALL face delays, betrayals, and heartaches. A coworker lied about us, and it set us back. We ask God why it’s HAPPENING and when He’s going to CHANGE it. We think it’s holding us BACK, but the psalmist says that EVERYTHING SERVES God’s PLAN. He didn’t say just the GOOD things–The times you’re PROMOTED, getting good BREAKS, and things change in YOUR favor.

What we don’t always REALIZE is the NEGATIVE things we experience are SERVING His PLAN. You’re being DEVELOPED, getting STRONGER through it. WITHOUT it, you wouldn’t be prepared for what’s coming. When you understand that EVERYTHING serves His plan, you won’t live frustrated by things that aren’t fair and stressed over things you don’t LIKE. You realize that it wasn’t a COINSIDENCE that person walked away. GOD moved them out so you could move FORWARD. It was SERVING His PLAN. Don’t be upset over things that are DESIGNED to move you AHEAD.

Today’s Scripture:

Psalm 119:91, TLB

Your faithfulness extends to every generation, like the earth you created; it endures by your decree, for everything serves your plans.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

THE OPPOSITION MAY LOOK TOO BIG, BUT GOD TRIUMPHS OVER EVERY NEGATIVE FORCE

Have you ever wondered, “Why are all these unfair setbacks and difficulties coming AGAINST me? Why all the OPPOSITION?” It’s because when you gave your life to Christ, God said, “You’re MINE.” When He put a crown of FAVOR on your head, you became a TARGET to the enemy. He KNOWS God has DESTINED you to take new GROUND, so he’s working OVERTIME to try to STOP you. Those bad breaks weren’t random; those were strategic ATTACKS. The enemy wouldn’t waste his time bringing those CHALLANGES if he didn’t KNOW there was GREATNESS in you.

You need to know that there is a FIGHT for your FUTURE, but it’s not YOUR battle. GOD is fighting FOR you. The enemy may send opposition that looks too big, but God TRIUMPHS over EVERY negative force. Those setbacks and difficulties that are trying to keep you from your DESTINY, God is speaking to them RIGHT now. BREAKTHROUGHS are coming, HEALING is coming, FREEDOM is coming, VISTORY is coming. The GREATNESS in you is about to come OUT!!

Today’s Scripture:

Psalm 30:1, NLT

I will exalt you, LORD, for you rescued me. You refused to let my enemies triumph over me.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

DON’T LET WHAT YOU DON’T SEE TALK YOU OUT OF WHAT YOU KNOW

It’s easy to believe when we’re SEEING signs of what we’re BELIEVING for. The TEST comes when you’re praying, but the medical report isn’t IMPROVING. You’re doing the RIGHT thing, but your marriage isn’t getting better. You KNOW God put the PROMISE in your heart, but there’s no SIGN of it happening. If you saw a little IMPROVEMENT, you could see that what you’re doing is HELPING. But MANY times, before a promise comes to PASS, you have to go through a season of SILENCE when you don’t see ANYTHING changing. This is when MANY people get discouraged and give up.

The apostle Paul says that in due SEASON you shall REAP if you don’t lose HEART. It doesn’t say there’s a good CHANCE you’ll reap. NO, God says that if you won’t get tired of doing the right THING, if you won’t let what you don’t SEE talk you out of what you KNOW, you will REAP in due season. Now get READY. Your due SEASON is closer than you THINK.

Today’s Scripture:

Galatians 6:9, NKJV

And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

GET READY FOR SOME OPEN DOORS

We’ve all had times when we didn’t get the PROMOTION, the LOAN didn’t go through, or a RELATIONSHIP didn’t make it. We did our BEST, but the door closed. But God wouldn’t ALLOW the door to close if it was going to keep you from your DESTINY. WE may not see how it can work out, but the Scripture says GOD is your doorkeeper. Other people and obstacles can’t KEEP you from what God has ORDAINED for you.

It may FEEL as though you’re behind a closed door. You can’t seem to get well. You’re working hard but not getting ahead in your finances. Relationships keep falling through. Stay ENCOURAGED. Those CLOSED doors are NOT permanent. Your time IS coming. The Most High GOD is your doorkeeper. I believe YOU are about to see some doors that have been closed for a long time suddenly OPEN. SUDDENLY, your HEALTH improves, the right PEOPLE show up, or you get the PROMOTION. What happened? The DOORKEEPER stepped in. Get ready for some OPEN DOORS.

Today’s Scripture:

Revelation 3:7, NIV

What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

YOU CAN’T STOP PEOPLE FROM LABELING YOU, BUT YOU CAN TAKE IT RIGHT OFF

Some people will try to DEFINE you by your mistakes. They’ll stick LABELS on you, reminding you of the times you failed, the times you compromised, the times you didn’t measure up. When you go through one bad SEASON, don’t be surprised if people say, “God’s not going to bless you. You gave into temptation. You’re divorced. Your business failed.”

Don’t let PEOPLE LABEL you. They can’t STOP what God has ORDAINED for your life. The only person who can stop you is YOU. If you believe the LIES from the accuser of the brethren, that will keep you from your DESTINY. You may have failed, but you’re not a failure. That was a MOMENT in your life, that was one SEASON, and it doesn’t DETERMINE your future. You can’t stop others from putting a negative LABEL on you, but you CAN take it right OFF. “I’m NOT defined by my mistakes. I’m DEFINED by what GOD says about me. I am FORGIVEN. I am REDEEMED. My failures are in my YESTERDAY.”

Today’s Scripture:

Revelation 12:10, NLT

For the accuser of our brothers and sisters has been thrown down to earth–the one who accuses them before our God day and night.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

REFUSE TO SETTLE FOR LESS THAT WHAT GOD HAS PROMISED

All of us have dreams we’re BELIEVING for, but too often we get discouraged and quit believing for the FULLNESS of what’s in our heart. It’s easy to water down what God PROMISED us. “I don’t like this job, but it’s good enough.” “I was believing for a house, but this apartment is okay.” “I was hoping to get well, but I’ve learned to live with this sickness.”

If you’re going to become ALL you were created to be, you have to keep a FIRE in your spirit that says, “I REFUSE to settle for less than what God PROMISED.” You’re not going to be talked out of it, you’re not going to water it down, and you’re not going to let good enough be good ENOUGH. It may be more difficult and taking LONGER than you thought, but what God promised you is still on the WAY–not a watered-down version, not a make-do PROMOTION, not a partial HEALING, not a good-enough MARRIAGE. God doesn’t water down what HE’S spoken to us.

Today’s Scripture:

2 Peter 1:4, NLT

And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature…

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

 

STAY AWAY FROM TROUBLEMAKERS…..

We all have people who try to rile us up. They complain about the workplace, exaggerate problems, and spread gossip. They are TROUBLEMAKERS. If you allow them to draw you IN, before long YOU’LL be upset, focused on what’s wrong, bitter over what YOU’RE not getting. The Scripture says God HATES it when someone “sows discord”– someone who’s always stirring up trouble, trying to incite you to unrest. Don’t let them poison your SPIRIT. Don’t let that discord get IN you. It will keep you from becoming who you were created to BE.

The apostle Paul uses strong language when he IMPLORES us to be CAREFUL about whom we let INFLUENCE us. Are they HEALTHY and PRODUCTIVE? Do they have good JUDGEMENT and clear VISION? Or are they discontent, bitter, and living from a place of offense. If someone is constantly disgruntled, jealous, and divisive, RECOGNIZE that they are NOT for you. They are not HEALTHY enough to give you good advice. Be KIND, be RESPECTFUL, but do NOT hang AROUND them. DISCONNECT from discord.

Today’s Scripture:

Romans 16:17, NIV

I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

START CALLING IN WHAT YOU WANT, NOT WHAT YOU HAVE

It’s not enough to just BELIEVE a dream will come to pass or just THINK positively and HOPE something will happen. You have to take the NEXT step and call it IN. Words give LIFE to our faith. The Scripture says let the weak say I am STRONG. It doesn’t say let the weak say I am weak. Why? Because that’s calling in MORE weakness. You have to call in STRENGTH, call in VITALITY, call in ENERGY. When you’re sick, you need to call in HEALING. When you’re struggling in your finances, call in ABUNDANCE. As long as you can back it up with SCRIPTURE, you can call it IN.

The Scripture says, “You WILL eat the fruit of your words.” You can’t call in defeat and have VICTORY. You can’t call in lack and have ABUNDANCE. You can’t go around calling in negative things about YOURSELF and feel good about who you ARE. Start calling in what you WANT and not what you HAVE. Say what GOD says about you.

Today’s Scripture

Joel 3:10, NKJV

Let the weak say, “I am strong.”