THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

GOD IS ALWAYS WITH US, CLOSER THAN THE AIR WE BREATHE

In the Bible, Jesus has many names that identify His character. One of those names is Emmanuel, which means “God with us.” Before Jesus came to earth, the Spirit of God resided in the temple. The people had to go through all kinds of rituals to become clean enough to go near to Him.

Today, as BELIEVERS, we ARE the temple of the Holy Spirit. When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, He is the one who CLEANSES us and makes His home in our hearts. He becomes ONE with us, CLOSER than the air we breathe.

Isn’t it good to know that God is ALWAYS with us? His PEACE is always with us. His JOY is always with us. His POWER is always with us, and His VICTORY is always with us. The next time you feel alone, think about this scripture. Know that He is NEAR because you serve Emmanuel—the God who is ALWAYS with you!

Today’s Scripture:

Behold, the virgin shall become pregnant and give birth to a Son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel–which, when translated, means, God with us.
(Matthew 1:23, AMPC)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

I MAY NOT SEE A WAY, BUT I KNOW GOD HAS A WAY

Today I declare that a SHIFT is coming. Whatever you need—a shift in your HEALTH, a shift in your FINANCES, or a shift in a RELATIONSHIP. It may not LOOK like anything is happening in the natural, but we serve a SUPERNATURAL God. He’s about to breathe in your direction in a NEW way! The enemies you have seen in the past, you will see NO more. The addictions or bad habits that have held you back are being BROKEN in Jesus’ name. God’s FAVOR is being released in a NEW way that will PROPEL you FORWARD. What should have taken you 40 years to accomplish, God is going to do in a split second!

The shift is ACCELERATION. The shift means going beyond where you could go on your own. The shift is seeing Jehovah Jireh, the Lord our Provider, do EXCEEDINGLY, ABUNDANTLY above and BEYOND. Now our attitude should be, “God, I’m READY. I’m taking the limits off of You. I’m enlarging my VISION. I may not SEE a way, but I know You HAVE a way. I DECLARE, I’m coming into a SHIFT!”

Today’s Scripture:

“You will also declare a thing, and it will be established for you; so light will shine on your ways.”
(Job 22:28, NKJV)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

AS BELIEVERS, WE SHOULD SET THE STANDARD IN ALL AREAS OF LIFE….

How do you HONOR God? A lot of times people think, “Oh, I go to church to honor God. I read my Bible to honor God. I sing and clap in worship to honor God.” And yes, those are ways to honor God, but did you know that you also honor God when you get to work ON TIME? You honor God when you are PRODUCTIVE each day and RESPECT the people who are in authority OVER you. You honor God when you EXCEL in your career.

Actions speak LOUDER than words. When you give your very BEST in the workplace, your whole life is giving PRAISE to God. Showing up with a GOOD attitude, FRIENDLY, ORGANIZED, being your BEST—people will notice there’s something DIFFERENT about you. They’ll WANT what you have.

As BELIEVERS, we should set the standard in ALL areas of life. People should see the depth of your CHARACTER and your spirit of EXCELLENCE and know that you are a child of the Most High God. Today, make the decision to HONOR Him in ALL that you do because you are His REPRESENTATIVE, His hands and feet in the Earth.

Today’s Scripture:

Remind people to be submissive to [their] magistrates and authorities, to be obedient, to be prepared and willing to do any upright and honorable work.
(Titus 3:1, AMPC)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

THE BATTLE YOU HAVE TO FIGHT TODAY, IS IN YOUR MIND

We all have giants or obstacles that try to keep us from possessing what God has promised, especially in our DREAMS. We have two choices: we can quit and live in mediocrity, or we can FIGHT and take hold of the VICTORY.

In the Bible, the children of Israel were camped right next door to their Promised Land. God had already told them He would give them the VICTORY; all they had to do was go in and FIGHT for the land. But, when they heard how big their opponents were, they had such a weak, defeated mentality that they just gave up. Their attitude was, “What’s the use of even trying? We’ll never defeat those people. We might as well just stay out here in the wilderness.” They settled for mediocrity because they weren’t willing to FIGHT.

Friend, don’t let that be you! The battle YOU have to fight today, is in your MIND. You have to change your THINKING in order to possess God’s promises. Start choosing thoughts of FAITH and VICTORY. DECLARE that you are an OVERCOMER. As you stand and fight and WIN the battle in your mind, you’ll move forward and embrace the PROMISES and DREAMS that God has for YOU!

Today’s Scripture:

“The Lord your God will thrust them out from before you and drive them out of your sight, and you shall possess their land, as the Lord your God promised you.”
(Joshua 23:5, AMPC)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

OTHER PEOPLE DON’T SET THE LIMITS FOR YOUR LIFE—YOU DO

Have the opinions of other people caused you to water down YOUR dreams? There will always be critics and naysayers in life. It’s not what’s said ABOUT you that affects your life, but what you say and believe about YOURSELF.

One of the most important things you can learn is that OTHER people don’t have to believe in you in order for your dreams to come to pass. Other people don’t set the LIMITS for your life—YOU DO. In Romans 3:3, the Apostle Paul is saying, “It doesn’t matter if OTHER people don’t believe. Their unbelief is NOT going to keep me from BELIEVING in my dreams.” When God puts a PROMISE in your heart, it’s not up to OTHER people to bring it to pass, it’s up to YOU! You don’t need everyone to VALIDATE you. You have to follow the voice of GOD for YOURSELF and allow HIM to order your steps.

Remember, God SEES the hidden treasures that you’ve had buried on the inside of you. He wants to bring those treasures OUT and make your dreams REALITY! As you get rid of old, defeated THOUGHTS and replace them with what GOD says about you, you will remove the limits and live the ABUNDANT LIFE GOD has in store for you!

Today’s Scripture:

“What if some did not have faith? Will their lack of faith nullify God’s faithfulness?”
(Romans 3:3, NIV)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

NOT EVERYONE CAN GO WHERE GOD IS TAKING YOU

Your destiny is too big to accomplish on your own. That’s why it’s so important to be connected to the right PEOPLE. We have to understand that God has already arranged for certain people to speak FAITH into you. He has already placed people in your path that will INSPIRE you, CHALLENGE you, and help you accomplish your DREAMS. The reason some people never reach their highest POTENTIAL is because they never get away from the WRONG people.

Recognize today that not everyone can go where God is taking YOU. You’ve got to CONNECT with people who understand your DESTINY and can call forth your seeds of GREATNESS. You don’t have time to spend on people who are always pushing you down, telling you what you can NOT do, or never giving you their APPROVAL no matter how hard you try. Friend, life is too short to drag people along. If you will get the wrong people OUT of your life, then God will bring in the RIGHT people so you can fulfill the DESTINY He has in store for you.

Today’s Scripture:

“A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”
(Proverbs 18:24, NIV)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

GOD EQUIPPED YOU WITH EVERYTHING YOU NEED IN ORDER TO THRIVE IN THIS LIFE

Did you know that God chose you BEFORE the foundations of the earth? BEFORE the worlds were ever formed, He knew you. And, He didn’t create you to be average. He didn’t create you to barely get by. No, He created you to EXCEL! Not only has He CHOSEN you, but He has EQUIPPED you with everything you need to live and THRIVE in this life. He has deposited seeds of GREATNESS inside EVERY person. But in order to tap into those seeds of greatness, you have to BELIEVE this and ACT on it.

Too many people today are going around with low self-esteem, feeling inferior like they don’t have what it takes. But that is living a lie. And as long as we have a poor self-image, we’re not going to experience God’s BEST. In order to be all that God has CALLED us to be, we have to see ourselves as CHOSEN, VALUABLE and VICTORIOUS.

Today, MEDITATE on this truth. Let it sink down deep into your heart. Let it build CONFIDENCE and SECURITY in you. As you understand your VALUE in the eyes of GOD, you’ll be EMPOWERED to live the life of VICTORY He has prepared for you!

Today’s Scripture:

“For he chose us in him before the creation of the world…”
(Ephesians 1:4, NIV)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

AS BELIEVERS, WE HAVE ACCESS TO GOD 24/7

BELIEVERS, have the HONOR and PRIVILEGE to enter boldly into God’s presence. Scripture says that we can come to His throne of grace and receive His mercy. Because He LOVES us, He has given us unlimited access to Himself 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

But notice that today’s verse tells us that we shouldn’t just come any old way to God. We shouldn’t come empty-handed to the King of kings and the Lord of lords. What can we bring? What do we have that’s WORTHY of Almighty God? Our PRAISE. Our THANKSGIVING. Our WORSHIP. We are to enter His gates with an offering from our hearts of ADORATION because He is WORTHY!

We have to understand, PRAISE isn’t just about singing songs on Sunday mornings. Praise is the expression of GRATEFULNESS to Father God for Who He IS and all that He has DONE. PRAISE gets God’s attention. Praise is a powerful TOOL in the life of the believer because God INHABITS our praises! When we enter His presence the RIGHT way, He enters our CIRCUMSTANCES, and when God shows up, the enemy MUST flee! Today, enter into His gates with THANKSGIVING and open the door for Him to move on your behalf!

Today’s Scripture:

“Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.”
(Psalm 100:4, NKJV)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

GOD DOESN’T WANT YOU TO JUST BE ALIVE, HE WANTS YOU TO BE ‘REALLY ALIVE’

A few years ago, I was watching the news when Captain Sullenberger successfully landed a jet airplane in the Hudson River. All 155 passengers survived. It’s known as “The Miracle on the Hudson.” A reporter asked one passenger what he thought about it all. He was soaking wet, freezing cold, a little bit frazzled, but he had this incredible glow about him, an EXCITEMENT in his voice. I’ll never forget what he told the reporter, “I was alive before, but now I’m REALLY ALIVE.”

My question today is, “Are YOU really alive?” Are you PASSIONATE about the LIFE God has given you? Do you get up every morning with ENTHUSIASM, pursuing your DREAMS? God doesn’t want you to just “be alive” or just exist or endure. He wants you to be REALLY ALIVE! You have seeds of GREATNESS on the inside. There is something more for you to ACCOMPLISH. Get EXCITED about what God is doing! Lift up your eyes of FAITH to Him. Keep HOPING, keep BELIEVING, keep TRUSTING and keep LIVING because God has a wonderful plan in store for you!

Today’s Scripture:

“The thief comes only to steal and Kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”
(John 10:10, NIV)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

SPEAK WHAT YOU SEEK UNTIL YOU SEE WHAT YOU SAY

During the 1990’s, Jose Lima was the star pitcher for the Houston Astros. One season, he won 20 games and was considered one of the best pitchers in the league. When the Astros moved from the Astrodome to their new ballpark downtown, the fence in left field was much closer than the fence in the Astrodome. It favored the hitters and made it more difficult on the pitchers. The first time Jose Lima went to the new ballpark, he stood on the mound, looked at the fence, and the first words out of his mouth were, “I’ll never be able to pitch in here. The fence is way too close.” Sure enough, he went from being a 20-game WINNER to a 16-game LOSER. It was one of the biggest NEGATIVE turnarounds in the history of the Astros. What happened? He PROPHESIED his future.

Today, don’t get SNARED by the words of your mouth. When negative thoughts come, do NOT speak them out loud; instead, speak LIFE. Speak HOPE. Speak BLESSING. Speak what you SEEK! Speak the Word of God so you can move forward in the VICTORY He has prepared for you!

Today’s Scripture:

“You are snared by the words of your mouth…”
(Proverbs 6:2, NKJV)