THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

YOU’LL NEVER GO WRONG TAKING THE HIGH ROAD…..

You don’t overcome evil that has been done TO you by repaying the person with the same evil they did to YOU–they hurt YOU, so you hurt THEM; they betray YOU, so you betray THEM. Not only will you make the problem WORSE and multiply the CONFLICT, but YOU’LL get STUCK where you ARE. It will keep YOU from rising HIGHER.

When unfair things happen to you, the apostle Paul says to NOT take revenge, but to leave it in GOD’S hands to repay. That takes a BIG person, that takes great CHARACTER, and it’s really a TEST. When you prove to God that you’re NOT bitter, you’re not VINDICTIVE, you’re not holding a GRUDGE, you’re BIG enough to swallow your PRIDE and do GOOD to them, then HE knows you’re ready to be PROMOTED. He’s NOT going to PROMOTE you to pay somebody BACK. When you’re the BIGGER person, when you are loving even though someone else doesn’t DESERVE it, that’s FREEING you to go to the next LEVEL.

Today’s Scripture:

Romans 12:21, NIV

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

KNOW WHO YOU ARE AND END THE DEBATE

The Israelites had been in slavery in Egypt for four hundred years. God sent plagues on Pharaoh until he finally let them go. When the Israelites headed toward the Promised Land, they were excited that their dream of freedom had come true–until Pharaoh came chasing after them with his chariots. Pharaoh was saying, in effect, “You’re my slaves. I’m taking you back.” God was saying, “You’re my children. I’ve redeemed you. I’m taking you into freedom.” I can imagine that this debate was playing back and forth in the minds of the Israelites: “Are you a son? Are you a slave?”

That same debate is taking place about you. One voice is saying, “You’re a slave. You’ll never get well. You’ll always struggle in your finances.” You need to rise up and say, “I’m no longer a slave, I’m a son. I’m not a slave to my past, to the people who hurt me, to addiction, to lack, or to depression. I’m a child of the Most High God.”

Today’s Scripture:

1 John 3:2, NLT

Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

WHEN YOU’RE VULNERABLE, GOD CAN MAKE YOU AND MOLD YOU

If you read the stories of the heroes of FAITH, whether it’s Abraham, David, John the Baptist, or the apostle Paul, they were not PRETENDERS. They had doubts, they had fears, they had questions, and they didn’t pretend like they had it all TOGETHER. They REFUSED to wear religious masks. They KNEW the power of vulnerability and honesty. They knew that in our WEAKNESSES, God’s strength shows up the GREATEST.

Are YOU down on yourself because you have doubts and fears, weaknesses you don’t understand? Are you trying to hide what you’re STRUGGLING with, thinking God or someone else would not be PLEASED with you? Are you trying to PERFORM just right, to keep up your IMAGE, to impress your friends and FAMILY? Why don’t you take the PRESSURE off and be at peace with not being PERFECT? There’s amazing STRENGTH when you go to God and others with TRANSPARENCY. When you’re VULNERABLE, God can MAKE you and MOLD you into a vessel used for His highest PURPOSES.

Today’s Scripture:

Psalm 26:4, AMPC

I do not sit with false persons, nor fellowship with pretenders…

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

WHAT GOD IS ABOUT TO DO IS GOING TO SUPERSEDE ANYTHING YOU’VE EVER SEEN

When Job and his wife went through a series of very painful LOSSES, and then Job suffered a CRUSHING illness, instead of ENCOURAGING Job, she said, “Job, you’ve always done the right thing, and see what you get. Just curse God and give UP.” FORTUNATELY, even though he didn’t understand why it had HAPPENED, Job knew BETTER than to make judgments based on one SEASON of his life. He declared that God’s FAVOR had been on his life, and that this storm was NOT permanent. By FAITH, Job weathered the great storm and eventually came out of it with DOUBLE and lived a long, BLESSED life.

Every person has unfair, painful SEASONS. But you have to remind yourself that it’s JUST a season. It’s NOT the rest of your LIFE. Don’t make a judgment based on a betrayal or a setback that’s TEMPORARY. Don’t give up on your dreams, lose your passion, or live BITTER. The storm may be DIFFICULT, but what God is about to DO is going to supersede anything you’ve EVER seen.

Today’s Scripture:

Job 2:9, MSG

His wife said, “Still holding on to your precious integrity, are you? Curse God and be done with it!”

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

THE ROLE OF A FATHER IS TO REFLECT GOD TO THEIR CHILDREN

FATHERS play such an IMPORTANT roll in the lives of their children. Fathers pour CONFIDENCE, HOPE, LOVE, and SECURITY into them and in turn, their children REFLECT that. It’s one way of showing HONOR. In the natural, the role of the father is to REFLECT God to their children.

If you are a father, always keep that in mind. You are INVESTING in your children and your input in their lives is so VALUABLE.

When you think about your own Father, maybe he had some characteristics you don’t want to reflect. That’s where God makes up the difference. Don’t dwell on your father’s shortcomings, instead, dwell on the GOOD things he poured into you. Be thankful for the LIFE you have and WHO you are. HONOR your father today because God promises to BLESS you. REFLECT Him by showing HONOR and let His GLORY shine on you!

Today’s Scripture:

“The glory of children are their fathers.”

Proverbs 17:6, KJV

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

TAKE ACTION TODAY, WHILE YOU STILL HAVE THE FAITH FOR IT AND THE WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY IS STILL OPEN. DON’T PUT IT OFF ANY LONGER…..

In Acts 24, the apostle Paul had an OPPORTUNITY to share his faith with the Roman governor of Judea, a man named Felix and his wife. Felix was a RUTHLESS, IMMORAL governor, and today’s Scripture describes his REACTION. He KNEW he needed to change. This was a window of GRACE. God was speaking to his heart. But Felix put OFF dealing with the CONVICTION, and we don’t KNOW if that convenient time ever CAME. Two years later, he was out of office and GONE.

Are YOU waiting for a more convenient time, putting off dealing with a CONVICTION or a change of ATTITUDE, delaying to take a step of FAITH, ignoring God’s still, small VOICE? You don’t KNOW how long the window is going to be open. Don’t keep making EXCUSES. When you have the FAITH for it, that’s the time to ACT. TODAY, when you hear His voice, step into the GRACE. Take advantage of the OPPORTUNITY God is offering you to come up HIGHER, to see His favor in GREATER ways.

Today’s Scripture:

Acts 24:25, NIV

As Paul talked about righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and said, “That’s enough for now! You may leave. When I find it convenient, I will send for you.”

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

YOU CAN BE THAT PERSON….BLESS THE PEOPLE AROUND YOU, GOD PLACED THEM IN YOUR LIFE FOR A REASON. PASS THE TEST

Even though some people LOOK like they’re doing fine and don’t NEED ENCOURAGEMENT, the TRUTH is that EVERYBODY needs somebody cheering them on, somebody who sees the BEST in them, somebody who BELIEVES in them and SUPPORTS them. YOU can be that person for the people in YOUR life. Many times, YOU can see things in other people that they can’t see in THEMSELVES. Your words of ENCOURAGEMENT, your words of BLESSING can help them step up to who they were created to BE. YOU can be the one they can count on, because you’re not going to find FAULT with them, but YOU’LL be the one who always has HEALING words that UPLIFT and push them into their DESTINY.

EVERYBODY is going through something difficult. Be on the lookout for those AROUND you. There are people whom God has in your life RIGHT now who need your LOVE, your ENCOURAGEMENT, your KINDNESS. Live with the attitude, “Who can I bless and lift UP today? Who can I ENCOURAGE to pursue their DREAMS?”

Today’s Scripture:

Acts 11:23, NIV

When he arrived and saw what the grace of God had done, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

BE GRATEFUL FOR WHAT’S IN FRONT OF YOU…..

Praise is NOT just WORDS; it’s an ATTITUDE. Our LIFE should be a praise to God. We should be GRATEFUL, have a SMILE, be GOOD to people, and be passionate about our DREAMS. When you’ve learned the secret to bless the Lord at ALL times, you can be in a pit but nobody around you KNOWS it. You’re NOT sour. You don’t have a CHIP on your shoulder.

ANYONE can give God praise when things are going your WAY. But the TEST is, will you praise Him in the WILDERNESS? Will you WORSHIP Him in SPITE of what’s not working, praise Him in spite of who did you WRONG? The way you bless the Lord at all TIMES is by your PRAISE, by ALWAYS finding something to be GRATEFUL for, by NOT dwelling on wrongs but THANKING God for what’s RIGHT. It’s by NOT focusing on what you LOST but THANKING God for what you have LEFT, and by NOT complaining about what’s BEHIND you but by being GRATEFUL for what’s in FRONT of you.

Today’s Scripture:

Psalm 34:1, NKJV

I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO FULFILL YOUR DESTINY WILL ARRIVE, RIGHT ON SCHEDULE

In Genesis 37, the brothers of Joseph hated him SO much that they threw him into a deep pit and were going to leave him there to DIE. But JUST then they saw a caravan of Ishmaelite merchants coming their way, and they decided to SELL Joseph to THEM. What’s interesting is that TRADE caravan had been traveling for MONTHS on their way to sell their goods in EGYPT. LONG before Joseph was thrown into the pit, the answer was ALREADY on the way. Long before Joseph had the PROBLEM, God had the ANSWER already set UP.

God knows WHAT you’re going to need, when you’re going to NEED it, and how to get it TO you. The PROBLEM you’re worried about, God has the answer already en ROUTE. The vindication, the healing, or the breakthrough is already set UP. When you’re tempted to WORRY, remember that everything you need to fulfill your destiny is right ON schedule. It may not have happened YET, but what God has ORDAINED is on the WAY.

Today’s Scripture:

Isaiah 65:24, NLT

I will answer them before they even call to me.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

LET GO AND LET GOD LEAD…..

When Abraham left his country, the Lord had told him to take ONLY his immediate family, but HE added his nephew Lot. It wasn’t long before there was strife and conflict between his herders and Lot’s herders, and they had to SEPARATE with Lot taking the better LAND. Later Lot and his family were taken CAPTIVE, and Abraham had to RESCUE them, risking his OWN safety and spending all his time and energy on problems he never should have had in the FIRST place.

DIFFICULTIES come whenever we aren’t willing to LEAVE people whom God TELLS us to leave. Perhaps it’s a FRIEND whom you’ve known is not GOOD for you. NOW you’re dealing with unnecessary trouble and HEARTACHE. What’s INTERESTING is the name LOT means “veil or COVERING.” When you leave what you’re SUPPOSED to leave, the veil will come OFF. You’ll SEE things that you’ve never SEEN–new friends, new opportunities, new talents, new LEVELS. Are YOU holding on to someone or something God is telling YOU to let GO of?

Today’s Scripture:

Genesis 12:1, NLT

The LORD had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you.”