THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

YOU DON’T NEED PEOPLE’S APPROVAL WHEN YOU HAVE GOD’S APPROVAL

Today’s verse teaches not to allow the world to squeeze you into its mold. If you’re going to be the person GOD made you to be, you need the courage to BREAK the mold. That means you can’t spend time worrying about what others think. The prophet Jeremiah almost missed God’s plan because he thought he was too young – and so did Timothy, Paul’s son in the faith. In 1 Timothy 4:12 Paul told Timothy, “Let NO one despise your youth.” But at its heart, Paul was really saying, “Timothy, just be the person God MADE you to be.” God is saying the same thing to YOU today. You don’t need PEOPLE’S approval. You have GOD’S approval! So rise up with BOLDNESS and CONFIDENCE, and God will start pouring out His BLESSINGS and FAVOR on you in ways you never even IMAGINED possible.

Today’s Scripture:

“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.”

Romans 12:2, NLT

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

IF YOU SAY SO LORD, I BELIEVE SO….

Several times in Peter’s life, Jesus asked him to go the extra mile, to toss his fishing net over the other side of the boat—ONE MORE TIME. These fishing nets very heavy and weren’t easy to move from side to side. Peter was reluctant, but he did it anyway because Jesus asked him to, and the resulting catch of fish was AMAZING. It’s easy to get tired and discouraged when you’ve tried and tried and aren’t seeing the results you had hoped. But when you hear the voice of the Master deep down inside saying, “TRY IT AGAIN,” don’t talk yourself out of what God wants to do in your life. It may not seem logical. All your reasoning may say it will never happen. You may feel you’re too old, or you don’t have the experience. It may seem that the report is too bad and all the odds are against you. But dare to do what the doubt-filled fishermen did and say, “God, this PROMISE You’ve given me doesn’t make sense. Nevertheless, if You say so, I BELIEVE so.” Just like Peter, you’ll be amazed at what will happen when you follow His commands, just ONE MORE TIME!

Today’s Scripture:

When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Now go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish.”

Luke 5:4, NLT

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

WHEN GOD CREATED YOU, HE PUT A PART OF HIMSELF IN YOU

It’s easy to go through life thinking that we’re average; we’re ordinary. “There’s nothing special about me. I’m just one of the six billion people on earth.” NO, when God created you, He put a part of Himself IN you. You could say that you have the DNA of Almighty God. You are DESTINED to do GREAT things, destined to leave your mark on this generation. The truth is, there is NOTHING average about you; but too many times we don’t realize who we are. We focus on our weaknesses or what we don’t have. We focus on the mistakes we’ve made or the family from which we’ve come. We end up settling for mediocrity when we were created for GREATNESS!

If you’re going to break out of average, you need to remind yourself EVERY day, “I have the DNA of the Most High God. GREATNESS is in my genes. I come from a bloodline of CHAMPIONS.” If you’ll have the ATTITUDE of a champion, you’ll live the LIFE of a champion and boldly embrace the BLESSINGS He has in store for you!

Today’s Scripture:

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Ephesians 2:10, NIV

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

STIR UP YOUR OWN INNER STRENGTH AND ENCOURAGEMENT

It’s good to have friends and family around to cheer you up when you’re down, but in order to TRULY live in victory, that encouragement has to come from the INSIDE. When your mind is telling you it’s not worth it, when your circumstances seem difficult, deep down inside, your spirit has to have the resolve that says, “I REFUSE to settle where I am.” That’s what David had to do. He was facing a major setback. His family was killed, his city was destroyed, and his own people were now against him, but he still managed to encourage HIMSELF in the Lord. How did he do that? He replayed in his mind the VICTORIES from the past. He recounted God’s FAITHFULNESS. As he rehearsed over and over the GOODNESS of God, STRENGTH began to rise in his heart.

There are so many places you can see the hand of God at work. Thank Him for SAVING you today. Thank Him for the miracle of LIFE. Thank Him for His FAITHFULNESS. FOCUS on the fact that God did NOT bring you THIS far to leave you now. Stir up that inner STRENGTH and ENCOURAGEMENT. As you do, you’ll rise higher and higher and live the life of victory the Lord PREPARED for you.

Today’s Scripture:

“David was greatly distressed, for the men spoke of stoning him…But David encouraged and strengthened himself in the Lord his God.”

1 Samuel 30:6, AMP

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

YOU HAVE GOD’S AUTHORITY TO DECLARE PEACE OVER YOUR HOME, YOUR MIND AND YOUR FAMILY

What do YOU do when the storms of life seem to be raging against you? One time Jesus was with His disciples in a boat out on the water when they encountered a great storm. The disciples were very afraid but Jesus, on the other hand, was fast asleep. When the disciples woke Him up to see if He could help them, Jesus got up and simply spoke to the storm, “PEACE! Be still.” And the seas were CALM again.

When difficult times come, you don’t have to be overwhelmed by the waves of worry or fear. Just as Jesus stood up and spoke to the storm, you have power in YOUR words, too. As a BELIEVER, the Bible tells us that the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead dwells in you. That means God’s miracle-working POWER is on the inside of you. He’s given you His AUTHORITY to declare PEACE over your home, over your mind, and over your family. Remember, no matter WHAT storms may come against you, the Greater One lives on the INSIDE of you, and He’ll EMPOWER you to live in victory in EVERY area of your life!

Today’s Scripture:

“Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, ‘Peace, be still!’ And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.”

(Mark 4:39, NKJV)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

CALL ON HIS NAME TODAY, AND MOVE RIGHT IN TO HIS PROVISION

Something SUPERNATURAL happens on the inside of you when you call on the name of the Lord. First of all, the Bible tells us that God actually makes His home in your HEART by the Holy Spirit. Not only that, but when you call on His name, you are calling on EVERYTHING He represents—life, peace, strength, hope, joy, healing, deliverance, forgiveness and so much MORE! It’s like receiving the KEY to a mansion filled with treasures—and it’s all YOURS! You can SEE that key in your hand; you can tell other PEOPLE about it; you can KNOW that you have access anytime you WANT, but you STILL have to take a step and USE the key to open the door before you can partake of the BLESSINGS inside. And you probably wouldn’t just peak in the door or visit once a week; NO, move right in! Make the DECISION today to move into God’s abundant blessings by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus. Call on His name and move right in to His provision, His joy, His peace, His love. You have the KEY, so receive the abundant LIFE He has prepared for you TODAY!

Today’s Scripture:

But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

1 Corinthians 6:11, NLT

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

STEP BY STEP GOD WILL LEAD YOU INTO YOUR DESTINY

When we type an address into our navigation system, “Route Overview” gives us the details of our trip—where we’re going, how long it’s going to take, and every turn to make. We can relax, knowing all the details. God has a route overview for your LIFE. He knows your final destination and the BEST way to get you there. But God does NOT show you the details. The Scripture says His WORD is a lamp to our feet. A lamp implies you have enough light to see the path in FRONT of you. He’s not giving you the light that shows your life road for the next fifty years. He leads you ONE STEP AT A TIME. If you TRUST Him and take that step into the unknown, not knowing how it’s going to work out, He’ll show you ANOTHER step. Step-by-step, He’ll lead you into your DESTINY.

Our question is, will you be BOLD and take the next step that God gives you with the light you HAVE? The unknown is where MIRACLES happen, where you discover ABILITIES you never knew you had, and where you’ll ACCOMPLISH more than you ever DREAMED. If you have the courage to do what you know HE’S asking you to do, He has the PROVISION, the FAVOR, and ALL that you need to go to the NEXT level.

Today’s Scripture:

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

Psalm 119:105, ESV

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

CHOOSE GOD’S HIGHER THOUGHTS TODAY AND ALLOW HIS WAYS TO BECOME YOUR WAYS. YOU’LL BE GLAD YOU DID!

Sometimes it’s easy to get focused on what’s happening in the world AROUND us. If you watch the news twenty-four hours a day, you will live worried, fearful and on edge. If you get on social media and you’re constantly comparing yourselves to others, you’ll NEVER feel good about who you are. But when you choose to think HIGHER thoughts, the way GOD thinks, and when you choose to meditate on God’s WORD, His higher thoughts will draw you to a higher level of LIVING. You can live ABOVE the stress and pressure of the world because He has promised to give us perfect PEACE when we keep our minds focused on Him. You can live ABOVE financial worries because God has promised that when we follow His Word, HE will supply all our needs according to HIS riches in GLORY. You can live above fear and dread because God has PROMISED that His perfect LOVE will drive out ALL fear. Choose God’s higher thoughts TODAY and allow His ways to become YOUR ways. OPEN your heart and allow HIM to direct your every step. As you do, you will rise higher and HIGHER, and you’ll live the life of VICTORY He has in store for you.

Today’s Scripture:

“As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

Isaiah 55:9, NIV

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

TAKE ADVANTATGE OF THIS “STAY AT HOME” TIME, REST IN THE LORD KNOWING HE’S IN CONTROL

In our world today, most people have become accustomed to having constant activity going on—computers, cell phones, television, email, video games. And there’s nothing wrong with those activities, but the Bible tells us that we have to stop and BE STILL so we can focus on knowing God. This is especially true during today’s difficult times. When you are facing a challenge, normally you want to run to a friend or talk about it with a neighbor. But this time is DIFFERENT, for the most part we’ve been forced to “stay at home”.

Take advantage of this time at home. Stop and say, “God, I REST in You. I know You have me in the palms of Your hands.” Remember, our true battles are SPIRITUAL battles. The people in your life aren’t your enemy, the forces of darkness ARE. When you choose to be still and know that the Greater One lives on the INSIDE of you, you are saying to the whole world, “I trust GOD. HE is my Defender.” When you choose to BELIEVE in Him you will enter into His REST. REMEMBER THIS. The battle belongs to the Lord. As you are STILL before Him, you will see His hand of VICTORY and blessing in EVERY area of your life!

Today’s Scripture:

“Be still, and know that I am God…”

Psalm 46:10, NIV

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

WHATEVER YOU NEED, GOD IS YOUR SOURCE AND SUPPLY

WHATEVER you need today, know that GOD is your source and supply. You may feel tired and weary from a long spiritual or emotional battle. God PROMISES that He increases our STRENGTH and causes it to MULTIPLY. One of the ways God fills us with His strength is by giving us His JOY. When we have joy, we have strength to OVERCOME. Joy is a supernatural EMPOWERMENT that is deposited on the INSIDE of you. As you meditate on the goodness and faithfulness of our God, you won’t be able to help but FEEL His joy. Like rivers of living water, joy will flow forth from you, refreshing and strengthening you so that you have the power to overcome EVERY obstacle you may be facing. If you feel faint or weary, remember, there’s a harvest of BLESSING in store for you. Let FAITH rise in your heart as you meditate on His promises. Let Him fill you with His PEACE and JOY so that you will have an ABUNDANCE of strength. As you do, you will be empowered to live the life of VICTORY the Lord has in store for you!

Today’s Scripture:

He gives power to the faint and weary, and to him who has no might He increases strength [causing it to multiply and making it to abound].

Isaiah 40:29, AMPC