THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

JUST BECAUSE IT’S TAKEN A LONG TIME, DON’T GIVE UP ON YOUR DREAMS BECAUSE YOUR TIME IS COMING

Your time IS coming! The DREAMS and DESIRES, the things you want to ACCOMPLISH, the situations you want to see changed WILL happen. Just because it has taken a long time, or because you’ve tried and failed, do NOT give up on those DREAMS. Don’t be complacent about pursuing what God has placed in your heart. No matter how long it’s been, no matter how impossible it LOOKS, if you’ll stay in FAITH, your time is COMING. GOD has set the date. Every DREAM that’s in your heart, every PROMISE that has taken root, God not only PUT it there, but He has every intention of bringing it to PASS. Start declaring today, “My time IS coming. God is working behind the scenes on my behalf—I WILL fulfill my DESTINY—I will fulfill the PLAN God has for my life!” As you DECLARE and EXPECT and WAIT for the appointed TIME, your FAITH will grow.

Today’s Scripture:

“For the vision is yet for an appointed time; but at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it…”

Habakkuk 2:3, NKJV

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

YOU CAN TURN YOUR ENTIRE LIFE AROUND IF YOU LOOK AT YOURSELF THE WAY THAT GOD SEES YOU

Down in Texas, clouds don’t LINGER. They’re SWEPT away by winds from the north or fresh breezes from the Gulf. That’s what God says about your sins, weaknesses and shortcomings—they’re SWEPT away before you know it. God is a LOVING, FORGIVING, REDEEMING, life-CHANGING God. So start AGREEING with God and change the image you have of YOURSELF. Instead of telling God what you can’t do, AGREE with what He says you CAN do! You CAN turn your ENTIRE life around if you look at yourself the way that GOD sees you and agree with His PURPOSE. God is WITH you, so be FEARLESS and VICTORIOUS each day. Gideon, the great hero of the Bible, thought of himself as weak, but God called him a “MIGHTY man of fearless COURAGE.” The Bible says, “If you BELIEVE, ALL things are possible.” Get GOD’S vision of VICTORY for your life. See yourself as the CHAMPION God CREATED you to be—STRONG, COURAGEOUS and SUCCESSFUL!

Today’s Scripture:

“…I will not forget you. I have swept away your sins like a cloud. I have scattered your offenses like the morning mist…”

Isaiah 44:21–22, NLT

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

I AM A FRIEND OF GOD

The all-KNOWING, all-POWERFUL Creator of the universe wants to be your FRIEND today! He wants to WALK with you, TALK with you and simply share LIFE with you. That’s why He CREATED you—first and foremost, for His FELLOWSHIP. It’s as simple as opening your heart of FAITH to Him just like Abraham did.

The Bible says that God is a friend who sticks CLOSER than a brother. That means He is always faithful and TRUE. PEOPLE may let you down, but God will NEVER let you down. He will never leave you. He will never forsake you. He is WITH you ALWAYS. He is MINDFUL of you; He is always THINKING of you.

What an honor and privilege it is to be called God’s FRIEND! Let THAT sink down into your HEART today. The next time the enemy tries to tell you that you are ALONE in this world, or no one understands what you are going through, just say out loud, “I am a friend of GOD!”

Today’s Scripture:

“And the scripture was fulfilled that says, ‘Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,’ and he was called God’s friend.”

James 2:23, NIV

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

THE HOLY SPIRIT LIVES IN YOU AND IS FIGHTING YOUR SPIRITUAL BATTLES FOR YOU

CONQUERORS don’t give up when they lose ground. They march forward with CONFIDENCE knowing that they WILL claim VICTORY. It should be the same with US in our daily lives. The Bible says you don’t HAVE to worry—you are an OVERCOMER in Christ! When WORRY comes against us, we can choose NOT to dwell on those negative thoughts. Like changing TV channels, YOU can change the channel in your MIND from thoughts of defeat to thoughts of VICTORY. Instead of dreading what COULD go wrong, meditate on God’s PROMISES. Declare His WORD, “I am MORE than a conqueror in Christ Jesus.” The Holy Spirit lives IN you and is fighting your spiritual battles FOR you. As soon as you PRAY, the tide of the battle begins to TURN! That’s why the Scriptures say over and over again that you can overcome ANYTHING. You can claim VICTORY through Him TODAY!

Today’s Scripture:

“Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Matthew 19:26, NIV

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

DON’T WASTE YOUR TIME LOOKING BACK

No matter how many weaknesses you THINK you have, you are VERY special to GOD! You are beautifully, wonderfully and UNIQUELY made, and you need to CELEBRATE His handiwork in you! Too many times, people compare their lives to others rather than looking to God’s PROMISES and CELEBRATING what God has given them. Worrying about your weaknesses will distract you and keep you from fulfilling your DESTINY. Don’t waste your time looking back, reliving what you did. You may be saying, “You just don’t know how I’ve lived. You mean to say I’m not supposed to feel guilty and condemned? That I don’t need to pay God back for all my mistakes by going around feeling bad about myself?” YES, that is exactly RIGHT! JESUS came so you can be FORGIVEN and have an ABUNDANT life. So begin SEEING yourself today as GOD sees you.

Today’s Scripture:

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love…

Romans 8:38, NLT

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

CHOOSE TO FOCUS ON THE GOOD THINGS THAT GOD HAS PUT IN YOUR LIFE

God is the PROVIDER of EVERY good and perfect gift. Although you may have some obstacles in your path right now, thank the Lord for the STRENGTH He gives you to OVERCOME them. Thank God CONTINUALLY for all of the gifts He showers on you, both big AND small. If you wrote down all your blessings, you would fill up every piece of paper that you own, and THEN some! Instead of focusing on the parts of your life that are NOT going as planned, choose to focus on the GOOD things that God has put in your life. Remember, God can take what is broken and make it WHOLE again.

Today’s Scripture:

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.

James 1:17, NKJV

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

IF YOU’RE GOING TO SEE THE BEAUTY, YOU MUST FIRST SHAKE OFF THE ASHES

Ashes represent what’s left over when everything is burned up. THESE ashes represent your broken dreams, your disappointments, your hurts and your pains. We all have our share of ASHES. God wants to give you BEAUTY for ashes, but an EXCHANGE must occur. You can’t hold on to your ashes and receive something BEAUTIFUL. You have to lay ASIDE the ashes and ACCEPT the bouquets of roses God has for you. If you’re going to see the BEAUTY, you have to SHAKE OFF the ashes of self-pity. You have to shake off the discouragement. We all have wounds, but He wants you to be the VICTOR, not the victim! Make a DECISION to let go of the ashes of the past and grasp the “ROSES” God has for you.

Today’s Scripture:

…Give them bouquets of roses instead of ashes…

(Isaiah 61:3, TLB)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

LIFE TAKES ON A NEW LEVEL AND PURPOSE WHEN YOU FOCUS ON CARING FOR OTHERS

Every important RELATIONSHIP you have should be an opportunity to ask yourself, “Am I sensitive to this person’s NEEDS?” Try to DISCOVER what the people around you need. People have different ways they express and receive LOVE. We ALL have different KINDS of needs and different WAYS that these needs are best MET. These DIFFERENCES are PART of what make our relationships EXCITING and FULFILLING! Take the time to find out what your SPOUSE needs and how you can best meet THOSE needs. Not only will this work in MARRIAGE, but in every OTHER relationship of your life. You’ll grow closer to your CHILDREN, have more meaningful and fulfilling FRIENDSHIPS, and find that your life takes on a new level and PURPOSE when you focus on CARING for OTHERS. In Jesus’ name – Amen.

Today’s Scripture:

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.”

Matthew 5:6, NIV

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

YOU DID NOT CHOOSE GOD, BUT HE CHOSE YOU AND HE IS PLEASED WITH YOU

You are APPROVED by Almighty God! You are CREATED in His image, and you’re the apple of His eye. You did NOT choose God, but He chose YOU, and He is PLEASED with you—His most PRECIOUS creation. Notice that verse doesn’t say that God approves you as long as you don’t have any faults, or as long as you don’t make any mistakes. No, God approves you UNCONDITIONALLY. No matter how many WEAKNESSES you may THINK you have today, no matter how many times you FALL in your walk with God, you’ve got to get right back UP again and hold your head up HIGH. Don’t allow the enemy to bring strife into your life by deceiving you into THINKING that you are not “GOOD enough” for the PLAN of God. Stand STRONG in your thoughts about yourself knowing that you have been CHOSEN and APPROVED by Almighty God.

Today’s Scripture:

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart…”

Jeremiah 1:5, NIV

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

GOD CALLED YOU TO BE FRUITFUL, HE NEVER CALLED YOU TO BE BUSY

Are you missing out on the JOYS of life because you are too BUSY? God called you to be FRUITFUL—He never called you to be busy. Don’t get ACTIVITY mixed up with PRODUCTIVITY. Just because you are on the go and always doing things doesn’t NECESSARILY mean that you’re fulfilling God’s best PLAN for your life. All work and no PLAY is NOT healthy. Ask the Lord to show you which areas need to be cut back and which areas need more FOCUS. Ask Him to show you which RELATIONSHIPS to let go of and which relationships to DEVELOPE in your life. Stop allowing the unproductive areas of your life to consume all of your TIME, FOCUS and ENERGY. As you make adjustments to bring BALANCE to your schedule, you will have room for the ACTIVITIES and RELATIONSHIPS that bring you JOY and PEACE.

Today’s Scripture:

Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it…”

Genesis 1:28, NLT