THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

IT’S A NEW YEAR, AND IT’S TIME TO BE THE NEW YOU

As a follower of Christ, you are a NEW creation! You have a new SPIRIT, a new WALK, a new LIFE! Are there “old” things” in your life that you are trying to get RID of? Maybe you have old BEHAVIORS or ADDICITIONS that you want to CHANGE. Remember, the NEW is near. It’s a new YEAR, and it’s time to be the new YOU. Let this year be the year you BREAK old habits and addictions. Let this be the year that you move FORWARD into a new life of VICTORY. And your new life includes all the spiritual BLESSINGS the Lord has promised in His WORD. You have a promise of PEACE, HEALTH, PROTECTION and PROVISION. Be ENCOURAGED today and know that no matter what is happening in your life right NOW, you can embrace the NEW life God has prepared for you. Make the CHOICE today to leave the old BEHIND—leave behind old BEHAVIOR, old THINKING, old WORDS. Embrace the new by FAITH, and you’ll move forward into the life of BLESSING the Lord has in store for YOU.

Today’s Scripture:

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

2 Corinthians 5:17, ESV

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

THE PEOPLE GOD HAS PLACED IN YOUR LIFE ARE NOT THERE BY ACCIDENT. SPEAK VISION INTO THEM

Very often, we see POTENTIAL in other people that they can’t see in themselves. When you speak VISION into them, when you tell them what they CAN become, you can help set the direction for their life. Your words have the POWER to push people into their divine DESTINY. I believe that the reason some people are not living at their full POTENTIAL is because no one has ever spoken FAITH into them. No one has taken the time to say, “Hey, you’re GREAT at this. You’ve got a GIFT here. You’re going to do something AMAZING.”

I believe that one of our assignments in life is to call out the seeds of GREATNESS in other people. Look around at who God has placed in your life. They’re not there by accident. Take time to STUDY them. See what they’re good at. What are their GIFTS? What do they EXCEL at? Don’t just THINK about it, speak VISION into them. Tell them what they can become. Let your ENCOURAGEMENT ignite the GREATNESS on the inside. Help them rise up in CONFIDENCE so they can be all God has called them to be!

Today’s Scripture:

“…God…calls those things which do not exist as though they did.”

(Romans 4:17, NKJV)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

WHEN YOU WOKE UP THIS MORNING, GOD GAVE YOU A GIFT CALLED “TODAY”…..

TIME is the most VALUABLE commodity that we have in life. It’s more valuable than money. You can make more money, but you can’t make more time. When you woke up this morning, God gave you a present called “today.” And with that gift comes a RESPONSIBILITY. The scripture tells us to REDEEM the time, to make the most of every OPPORTUNITY. That simply means don’t let it go to waste. Don’t live this day unfocused, unhappy, negative or defeated. Make the most of EVERY day. God has ENTRUSTED you with His LIFE. He has breathed His very breath into you. He has put gifts and talents on the inside of you. You have seeds of GREATNESS deposited in you. You’re a person of DESTINY, and you have an assignment and a PURPOSE to fulfill!

I encourage you today to EVALUATE how you are spending your time. REFOCUS your life. Let go of any distractions. Shake off any self-pity, any discouragement, any disappointments of the past and run your race with PURPOSE. Be careful how you live and REDEEM the time so that you can fulfill the DESTINY He has prepared for you.

Today’s Scripture:

“So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days.”

Ephesians 5:15-16, NLT

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

GOD IS FOREVER FAITHFUL

God is ALWAYS present with you. That means at all times, continually, perpetually, throughout all time, God is with you. In your day of trouble, He is there to HELP you. How is He your help? By providing whatever you NEED; by opening doors for you; by orchestrating things in your FAVOR. “HELP” is specific to your NEED and we serve a God who is very SPECIFIC. Because He is ALWAYS with you, He always knows exactly what you NEED!

Today, are you facing trouble or adversity? Know that God is WITH you. Look to HIM for help. TRUST that He has the answer, and that He IS working things out in your favor. As you continue to BELIEVE Him and follow HIS direction, He will lead you in the way that you should go. He will COMFORT you, REVIVE you, RESTORE you and BLESS you! He will be your EVER-PRESENT help because He is forever FAITHFUL to His Word!

Today’s Scripture:

“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”

Psalm 46:1, NIV

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

INSTEAD OF DWELLING ON WHAT ‘YOU’RE’ NOT, DWELL ON WHAT OUR GOD ‘IS’

There are many misconceptions about God in the world today. Some people think He’s mad at them, and other’s think He’s keeping a list of all their wrongs. But that isn’t what SCRIPTURE tells us. Scripture tells us that God is GRACIOUS, PATIENT and LOVING; that He is FORGIVING and doesn’t treat us as our sins DESERVE. Scripture tells us that God is FOR us, and if God is for us, who can be AGAINST us?

Think about THAT for a moment. The same God who created the heavens and earth, the one who spoke the universe into existence and knows everything about you, He is on YOUR side and wants the BEST for YOU. Today’s verse is a great reminder that when God is FOR you, NO one can win AGAINST you. Not the pain of your past. Not any mistake you’ve made. Not the forces of hell, your worst enemy, a bad economy, a difficult housing market or ANYTHING else on this earth.

Today, instead of dwelling on what you’re NOT, dwell on what HE is—He is FAITHFUL, He is LOVING, He is WITH you, and He is FOR you! And with God on your side, you are headed for victory ALL the days of your life!

Today’s Scripture:

“What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us?”

Romans 8:31, NLT

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

FOCUS ON THE GIFTS OF LOVE, KINDNESS AND ENCOURAGEMENT

Can you imagine how the wise men felt as they first looked upon our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! As part of their WORSHIP, they wanted to give Him gifts. They gave valuable PRESENTS to symbolize the LOVE, HONOR and APPRECIATION in their hearts. In the same way, you show your love and appreciation to God with gifts of WORSHIP, and you can show your love and appreciate to OTHERS by the gifts you bring.

As you celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ during this holiday season, don’t just focus on the gifts you bring in the NATURAL; focus on gifts of LOVE, KINDNESS and ENCOURAGEMENT. Go out of your way to show HONOR to others just like the wise men went out of their way to show honor to JESUS. When you walk in LOVE and PEACE, that is the place of BLESSING.

Today’s Scripture:

“On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him gifts…”

Matthew 2:11, NIV

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

PEACE ON EARTH—EVERY DAY, IN EVERY CIRCUMSTANCE

What a wonderful GIFT the Father has given us by sending His Son, JESUS, the Prince of Peace, into the earth! Because of HIM, all those who BELIEVE can have PEACE with God and make heaven their home. But not only did the Prince of Peace open the way to go to heaven, He made it possible to have peace on EARTH—every day in EVERY circumstance.

Today, we declare peace over YOU and YOUR home. We celebrate with you the greatest gift of all—Jesus Christ! If YOU don’t know this peace that the Father so freely gives, open your heart and invite Jesus to make YOUR heart His home. He is the ULTIMATE gift!

MERRY CHRISTMAS from our home to yours!

Today’s Scripture:

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”

Isaiah 9:6, KJV

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

TODAY AND EVERYDAY, YOU ARE HIGHLY FAVORED AND THE LORD IS WITH YOU

Did you know that as a child of God, you are highly FAVORED? No matter what you may have done in the PAST, as soon as you make Jesus Christ your Lord and Savior, you have favor with GOD!

Mary didn’t understand how or why she had God’s FAVOR, or what that favor was FOR. At that MOMENT, she didn’t know that she was CHOSEN as a pure and holy vessel to bring Christ to the world. Friend, you have God’s favor for the very SAME reason as Mary – because God chose YOU and made you a pure and holy vessel to bring Christ to your HOME, WORKPLACE, and even the WORLD.

Stay focused on SHARRING the message of God’s love with ALL those you come in contact with. And remember that TODAY, and EVERYDAY, you are highly FAVORED and the Lord is with you!

Today’s Scripture:

The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

Luke 1:28, NIV

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

THIS CHRISTMAS, TAKE TIME TO FOCUS ON THE GREATEST GIFT OF ALL, ETERNAL LIFE

Have you ever thought about how LOVE affects your GIVING? I’ve heard it said that you can give without loving, but you can’t love without GIVING. LOVE, God’s love IN us, prompts us to give of OURSELVES—our TIME, ABILITIES and RESOURCES. In fact, God IS love, and the scripture tells us that the world IDENTIFIES Christians by their LOVE. That means the world will identify us as Christians by our generous, giving HEARTS.

During this Christmas holiday, the season of GIVING, remember to take time to focus on the greatest gift of ALL, the gift of eternal LIFE through JESUS. If you’ve never RECEIVED this gift, I invite you to open your heart and pray this simple prayer: “Lord Jesus, I come to You today, giving You all that I am. I repent of my sins, and confess that I need You. I believe You died and rose for me. Be my Lord and Savior and make me new today. I receive Your love and Your gift of eternal life, in Jesus’ name I pray…Amen!”

My Friend, If you prayed that simple prayer and MEANT it, I believe you just got born again! Now, enjoy your NEW life and go out and tell EVERYONE who will listen, about the GOODNESS of God and all He’s done for YOU this Christmas Season!

Today’s Scripture:

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

John 3:16, NIV

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

UNWRAP YOUR GIFTS! JESUS PAID A PRECIOUS PRICE FOR THEM

Imagine waking up on Christmas morning and seeing a pile of presents under the tree but never OPENING them. Imagine that your friends and family spent a lot of MONEY on you, buying you things you NEED and DESIRE but could never AFFORD. Imagine that you even know what was INSIDE those packages, but just DECIDED to let them sit under the tree day in and day out, year after year. After all, now you have what you’ve always dreamed of. You OWN whatever is in those boxes. If anyone asked, you’d say, “Yes, I HAVE that.” But it wouldn’t do you any GOOD because you would never be able to USE those gifts unless you took the time to UNWRAP those packages.

Friend, it’s the same way with God. He wants you to have an ABUNDANT life. HIS gifts are all right there for YOU wrapped up in the Word of God. You “OPEN” His gift by MEDITATING on His Word, OBEYING His commands and DECLARING it out of your mouth.

Today, I ENCOURAGE you to UNWRAP your GIFTS! Don’t let a single present sit “under the tree” ANY LONGER. Jesus paid a PRECIOUS PRICE so you could have both ETERNAL life and ABUNDANT life. UNWRAP your gifts and live in His FULLNESS today!

Today’s Scripture:

“He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?”

Romans 8:32, NIV