THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

WHEN THINGS LOOK HOPELESS, PRAISE GOD BECAUSE HE WILL BRING HOPE

The prophet Habakkuk knew what to do when things seemed completely hopeless. When he wrote this verse, his world was literally falling apart. He had NOTHING. Things seemed destitute. So what did Habakkuk do? He REJOICED and PRAISED the Lord in SPITE of everything. He knew that God was BIGGER than His problems, and He already had a way to get Him out of those circumstances. Habakkuk was looking BEYOND His problems to what God could do in His life!

Let’s follow Habakkuk’s example. When something bad happens to you, THANK God — not because you’re suffering, but because you KNOW He has the answer. When things look hopeless, PRAISE Him because He WILL bring HOPE to your circumstances!

Today’s Scripture:

“Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior.”
(Habakkuk 3:17-18, NIV)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

IF YOU WILL LOOK TO GOD, HE WILL RENEW YOUR STRENGTH

Christ doesn’t want you to settle for mediocrity in ANY area of your life! His plan is for you to be VICTORIOUS and filled with JOY each day. No matter what has happened to you in the past, God wants you to pick yourself up and KEEP GOING on the path that leads to VICTORY. The Bible says that if you will look to God, He will renew your STRENGTH and help you SOAR like an eagle. That’s an amazing PROMISE from an amazing GOD! Keep pushing ahead even through the tough times, and you’ll be BLESSED.

Today’s Scripture:

“But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”
(Isaiah 40:31, KJV)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

SHARE GOD’S MERCY AND KINDNESS, BE GOOD TO ALL PEOPLE

Are you KIND and CONSIDERATE to people? Do you walk in love and prefer others ABOVE yourself? This passage tells us to be PROACTIVE! You must be on the lookout to share God’s MERCY and KINDNESS, and be good to ALL people. The way you treat OTHERS has a great impact on how much of the blessings and favor of God YOU’RE going to experience. Aim for KINDNESS and seek to do GOOD. As you do, God WILL reward your efforts and pour out His abundant blessing on YOU. As you extend God’s mercy to ALL those around you, you will discover the CHAMPION in you!

Today’s Scripture:

“See that no one pays back evil for evil, but always try to do good to each other and to all people.”
(1 Thessalonians 5:15, NLT)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

NO MATTER WHAT IT IS YOU NEED, YOU CAN BE SURE YOU’LL FIND IT IN JESUS

Are your eyes FIXED on Jesus today? It’s so easy to let the distractions of the world and the cares of everyday life change your FOCUS. And whatever you fix your EYES on, you open your SPIRIT to. You can CHOOSE to fix your eyes on Jesus no matter WHAT distractions of life are going on around you. You see, when you fix your eyes on JESUS, you are OPENING yourself to the HEALER. You are opening yourself to the DELIVERER. You are opening yourself to the Prince of PEACE, the Mighty GOD, the Everlasting FATHER, the PROVIDER, the REDEEMER, the Strong Tower of REFUGE.

What do you need in YOUR life today? PEACE? Fix your eyes on Jesus. Do you need HEALING? Fix your eyes on Jesus. Do you need a safe RETREAT? Fix your eyes on Jesus. Now, you may have to turn OFF other things that you’ve been WATCHING so that you can fix your eyes on Him. But remember, HE, is your source of life and the Author and Perfecter of your faith. Fix your eyes on Him and allow HIM to work in your life so that you can experience the VICTORY He has in store for you!

Today’s Scripture:

“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith…”
(Hebrews 12:2, NIV)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

WHATEVER YOU FOCUS ON, YOU WILL MOVE TOWARD

What are you LOOKING at today? I don’t mean in the natural, but in the SPIRITUAL. What is in the forefront of your MIND and HEART? Are you constantly dwelling on your problems or things that have happened in your past? In the natural, you will move in the direction that your eyes are looking. In the spiritual, it works the SAME way. Whatever you FOCUS your mind and heart on, you will move TOWARD.

That’s why this verse tells us to look straight AHEAD. If you are constantly dwelling on your problems or things in your past, wondering “what if”, then you will stay RIGHT where you are. But if you choose to FORGIVE and RELEASE the past, then you can focus on what is AHEAD of you, and you’ll begin to move FORWARD. God does NOT want you to live in the past. He wants you to meditate on His GOODNESS and BELIEVE His promises so that you can keep GROWING. God is a CREATIVE God, and He has designed a wonderful FUTURE for you. Look straight AHEAD so you can see it and move FORWARD into the life of VICTORY God has promised!

Today’s Scripture:

“Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you.”
(Proverbs 4:25, NIV)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

LOOK FOR NEW WAYS TO PUT YOUR LOVE INTO ACTION

YOU are the hands and feet of Jesus in the earth. The Lord wants to bless you today so that you can be a blessing to OTHERS. He wants to work THROUGH you to show His LOVE and COMPASSION. Notice this verse tells us that love is NOT just about our words or thoughts, it’s about our ACTIONS. Love is about reaching out and meeting the needs of OTHERS. Sometimes meeting someone’s needs is as simple as a SMILE or sharing a word of ENCOURAGEMENT. There are MANY ways to show the love of God. Can you pay for someone’s GAS or GROCERIES? Do you see a need in someone’s life that YOU can meet? Look for ways to put your LOVE into ACTION.

The Bible says that it’s His KINDNESS that leads people to repentance, and the Lord wants to show His kindness in the earth through YOU. Step out and sow good seeds of LOVE by meeting the needs of OTHERS. God PROMISES that those seeds WILL produce an abundant harvest in YOUR life in return!

Today’s Scripture:

“If anyone has this world’s resources and sees his brother and fellow believer in need, yet closes his heart of compassion against him, how can the love of God live and remain in him? Let us not love merely in theory or in speech, but in deed and in truth.”
(1 John 3:17-18, AMP)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

TREMENDOUS STRENGTH COMES WHEN YOU CHOOSE PEACE

There’s a tremendous STRENGTH that comes to you when you choose to live in PEACE. That’s why the Lord commands that we live at peace with those around us. When there is strife and contention, the enemy has an open door to move in your life. But when we are at PEACE with those around us, we are in a position of STRENGTH.

Being at peace with those around you doesn’t mean you have to AGREE with everyone all the time. It simply means you are choosing to walk in LOVE. It means you are PATIENT and KIND, NOT envious or boastful. It means you are CONSIDERATE and GRACIOUS even when you DON’T agree. Today, choose PEACE, choose LOVE, and choose to walk in the STRENGTH and BLESSING the Lord has commanded on your behalf!

Today’s Scripture:

“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”
(Romans 12:18, NIV)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

PLEASANT WORDS ARE LIKE HONEYCOMB, SWEET TO THE MIND AND HEALING TO THE BODY

Do you look for good things to say about yourself AND others? Are you speaking PLEASANT words? The Bible tells us that pleasant words are HEALING to the body. Do you need healing in YOUR body—physically? Spiritually? Emotionally? Your words can bring that HEALING. Start speaking PLEASANT words—words of LIFE, ENCOURAGEMENT, and THANKSGIVING.

GUARD your heart by making sure you are only listening to PLEASANT, life-giving words. If there’s something on the TV or radio that isn’t bringing life to your soul, TURN IT OFF. If someone’s having a conversation that’s not uplifting or productive, don’t be a part of it. Choose to meditate on God’s Word which, according to Hebrews, is LIVING and ACTIVE and full of PLEASANT words. As you choose life by choosing life-giving WORDS, you’ll see God’s HEALING operating in YOUR life. You’ll feel STRENGTH and PEACE in your soul, and you will move forward into the ABUNDANT life God has in store for you!

Today’s Scripture:

“Pleasant words are as honeycomb, sweet to the mind and healing to the body.”
(Proverbs 16:24, AMP)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

DON’T EVER LET FEAR BE A FACTOR IN THE CHOICES YOU MAKE

God wants to do GREAT THINGS in your life! Notice this verse starts out by saying “fear not.” Fear is a barrier to the promises of God. The Bible says that whatever does not come from faith is sin, or missing the mark. Don’t ever let fear be a factor in the CHOICES you make in life. If you make choices because you are afraid of something, that fear will block the blessing of the Lord in that area. Overcome fear by meditating on the promises of God’s LOVE and GOODNESS. Perfect love casts out ALL fear. When you understand the LOVE of God, you have NOTHING to fear. You know the Lord WILL do great things! Let that sink down into your spirit today. MEDITATE on this verse and declare it out loud EVERY day. As you study God’s Word, your FAITH will grow and fear will be GONE from your life. You’ll know His LOVE, and you will experience His GOODNESS in EVERY area of your life!

Today’s Scripture:

“Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the LORD will do great things.”
(Joel 2:21, KJV)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

DETOX YOUR MIND AND FILL YOURSELF WITH THOUGHTS OF FAITH AND VICTORY

These days, we hear a lot about detoxing our PHYSICAL bodies. Bacteria can build up. Pesticides and chemicals can get into our system. Experts recommend that you go through a deep cleansing periodically and stay away from what is harmful so you can rid yourself of these toxins.

In the same way, there are all kinds of toxins that can build up in our MINDS. When we go around dwelling on the wrong thoughts, thinking about what we CAN’T do, how somebody hurt us, or how we’ll never get ahead; those thoughts are TOXIC. And toxic thoughts left alone become like toxic WASTE. It gets into your HEART, and eventually, contaminates your whole LIFE. It affects your self-image, your attitude and your level of confidence. That’s why the Bible tells us that we have to guard our hearts and minds above all else because if your mind gets polluted, your whole LIFE is going to be polluted.

Make the decision today to go on a fast from negative, self-defeating thoughts. CLEANSE your mind from what is harmful and fill yourself with thoughts of FAITH and VICTORY. As you do, those good thoughts will STRENGTHEN and EMPOWER you to live the GOOD life He has planned for you.

Today’s Scripture:

“Above all else guard your heart for it affects everything you do.”
(Proverbs 4:23, NLT)