THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

GOD’S APPROVAL IS NOT BASED ON YOUR PERFORMANCE…..

Today’s Scripture DOESN’T say, “God approves you as long as you don’t make any MISTAKES and don’t have any WEAKNESSES.” No, He APPROVED you before you were formed in your mother’s WOMB. This means He approves you WITH those weaknesses and DESPITE those shortcomings. You’re NOT defective; you’re not a MISTAKE. When God CREATED you, He called you a MASTERPIECE. He stepped back and said, “That was VERY GOOD.”

We ALL have flaws and weaknesses. A lot of times we think we can’t feel GOOD about ourselves until we do everything RIGHT. If we resist the TEMPTATION, if we bite our TONGUE, if we’re more PATIENT, THEN we believe God will approve us. The TRUTH is, there’s nothing you can DO to make God love you MORE. His APPROVAL is not based on your PERFORMANCE; it’s based on your RELATIONSHIP. He handPICKED you. He chose YOU before you could choose HIM. Since God APPROVES you, why don’t you start approving YOURSELF? Why don’t you start feeling GOOD about who you ARE?

Today’s Scripture:

Jeremiah 1:5, AMP

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you [and approved of you as My chosen instrument], and before you were born I consecrated you…

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

THERE ARE TIMES WHEN YOU NEED TO WALK AWAY AND LET GOD MAKE IT UP TO YOU

In Genesis 26, Isaac moved to the valley to get away from the local Philistines’ opposition. He could have fought them and WON. Once in the valley, he reopened two wells that were rightfully HIS, but local herders QUARRELED over the wells, so he let them HAVE the wells. One of the wells he named “ARGUMENT” and the other “OPPOSITION.” He KNEW that although he could have KEPT them, it wouldn’t be worth the ongoing strife and CONFLICT. He then dug a THIRD well that was NOT contested, and he named it “ROOM ENOUGH” or “WIDE-OPEN SPACES.”

Too often we get bogged down at the well of ARGUMENT and OPPOSITION, trying to prove our point and convince people we’re RIGHT. SOMETIMES you need to stay and fight for what belongs to you, but SOME battles that you could win are not WORTH fighting. There are times when you need to walk AWAY and let GOD make it up to you. Take the HIGH road to the valley where there’s ROOM ENOUGH, ABUNDANCE, and WIDE-OPEN places.

Today’s Scripture:

Genesis 26:22, TLB

Abandoning that one, he dug again, and the local residents finally left him alone. So he called it, “The Well of Room Enough for Us at Last!” “For now at last,” he said, “the Lord has made room for us and we shall thrive.”

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

IT’S GOOD TO PRAY AND RELEASE YOUR FAITH, BUT DON’T STOP THERE….

We all face challenging SITUTAIONS and troubled RELATIONSHIPS that we’re believing will turn AROUND, but nothing is CHANGING. Sometimes the secret to solving a problem ISN’T in praying more or working HARDER; it’s in helping someone ELSE solve THEIR problem. As you take the focus off YOURSELF and help OTHERS in your time of need, you’re sowing a SEED that will bring the harvest YOU’RE waiting for. When you take your hands off YOUR problem and be good to someone ELSE, God will put HIS hands on YOUR problem and make things happen that you COULDN’T make happen.

Today’s Scripture says it was “AFTER” Job had prayed for his FRIENDS that HIS problems were solved in ABUNDANCE. Can you imagine how many times Job had already prayed for HIMSELF when he was dealing with all of HIS great losses, especially for his HEALING? It’s good to PRAY and release your FAITH, but don’t stop there, because there are times when YOUR breakthrough is tied to helping someone ELSE get THEIR breakthrough.

Today’s Scripture:

Job 42:10, NIV

After Job had prayed for his friends, the LORD restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

COMMITTED PEOPLE SEE DREAMS COME TO PASS AND REACH THE FULLNESS OF THEIR DESTINY

Today’s Scripture:

1 Corinthians 15:58, NKJV

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

THIS IS A NEW DAY AND GOD IS ABOUT TO DO A NEW THING

In today’s Scripture, Jesus’ question to the disabled man lying by the pool of Bethesda in Jerusalem seemed OBVIOUS–everyone around that pool was there to be HEALED of something. Jesus’ question tells us there was nothing in this man’s behavior or ATTITUDE that said he wanted to get WELL, nothing that said, “I’m expecting things to CHANGE.” Rather than saying, “Yes, that’s what I’m believing for,” he made excuses and tried to JUSTIFY his condition. MERCIFULLY, even though he had gotten comfortable in his DYSFUNCTION, Jesus HEALED him.

If you’ve had bad breaks and gone through unfair SITUATIONS, it’s EASY to live negatively, but that’s only going to cause you to get stuck by the POOL. Don’t have a VICTIM mentality; have a VICTOR mentality. No PERSON, no bad BREAK, no ADDICTION, and no SICKNESS has the POWER to keep you from your DESTINY. Tell the self-pity, tell the excuses, tell the DOUBTS, “It is FINISHED.” This is a NEW day. God is about to do a new THING.

Today’s Scripture:

John 5:6, NIV

When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?”

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

“CAN DO” POWER TO DO WHAT YOU COULDN’T DO BEFORE

There are times when we suddenly feel a strong URGING in our spirit, telling us to FORGIVE someone, or to start a BUSINESS, or to get FREE from an ADDICTION. Suddenly, we know it’s TIME to get in SHAPE or push for a PROMOTION. Those are NOT just nice THOUGHTS; that’s GOD speaking to us. With that URGING, you’ll feel FAITH rising up, a “CAN DO” POWER to do what you COULDN’T do before.

But this is a window of GRACE that won’t stay open FOREVER. Too OFTEN we hear that still, small voice, but we put it OFF. The PROBLEM is, that window will CLOSE. Today’s Scripture is not just talking about SALVATION. When you hear His voice telling you to DO something, the reason it’s so STRONG is that He’s opening a window of GRACE. NOW is the time to obey–NOT tomorrow, not next WEEK. When you feel that FAITH, step INTO it. It’s a DESTINY moment when you’ll have a divine EMPOWERMENT that makes a WAY for you to come up HIGHER.

Today’s Scripture:

Hebrews 3:15, NIV
Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts…

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

GOD WON’T DISAPPOINT A GENUINE PRAISER…..

In today’s Scripture, Jeremiah prophesied that God would bring back the people of Judah and Israel from their captivity to the Babylonian conquerors. He was saying that when you THANK God and offer up a sacrifice of PRAISE even when you don’t see anything good HAPPENING, He is going to REVERSE negative situations and RESTORE what’s been STOLEN. When you don’t see how it can work out, but you go through the day saying, “Father, thank You that the answer IS on the way, thank You that this problem is turning AROUND,” get ready for God to bring a RESTORATION. He’s going to REVERSE finances that are down, reverse a bad HEALTH report, reverse a LEGAL matter, and He’s going to RESTORE what should have been YOURS. He’s going to restore YEARS that you’ve lost because somebody did you WRONG. He’s going to restore a RELATIONSHIP that’s on the rocks, restore HEALTH back to your BODY. It’s going to HAPPEN because of your PRAISE. God will NOT disappoint a genuine PRAISER.

Today’s Scripture:

Jeremiah 33:11, NLT

They will sing, “Give thanks to the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, for the LORD is good. His faithful love endures forever!” For I will restore the prosperity of this land to what it was in the past, says the LORD.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

GOD IS GOING TO EXCEED YOUR EXPECTATIONS AND BRING YOU OUT BETTER THAN BEFORE!!

When King Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah were surrounded by three major armies, they HUMBLED themselves and asked God to SAVE them. In answer, He MIRACULOUSLY gave them a mighty VICTORY, and they didn’t even have to FIGHT. They could have returned home thanking God for their DELIVERANCE, but our God EXCEEDS our expectations. He was saying, in effect, “Jehoshaphat, I’m not going to do only what you ASKED and spare your LIVES, but I’m going to make the enemy PAY. I’m going to bring you out INCREASED, PROMOTED, and STRONGER.” They marched toward those armies EMPTY-handed, and they came back LOADED DOWN with SUPPLIES.

You may have obstacles in YOUR path and challenges coming against you today in your HEALTH, your FINANCES, or a RELATIONSHIP. You’re asking God to turn it AROUND. Stay ENCOURAGED. God is not only going to bring you OUT, He’s going to have some SPOILS there. There’s going to be some PLUNDER. He’s going to bring you out BETTER than you were BEFORE. He’s going to EXCEED your expectations.

Today’s Scripture:

2 Chronicles 20:25, NLT

King Jehoshaphat and his men went out to gather the plunder. They found vast amounts of equipment, clothing, and other valuables–more than they could carry. There was so much plunder that it took them three days just to collect it all!

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

GOD WANTS TO SATISFY AND BLESS YOU ABUNDANTLY

Are you expecting to have a SUPERNATURAL year? Are you expecting INCREASE and ABUNDANCE? Notice this verse tells us that THE RIGHTEOUS, those who follow God’s commands, will be SATISFIED even in times of famine. Even when it looks like resources are slim, God has a plan to provide for His people. The scripture also tells us that God is looking for people who will be FAITHFUL to Him; people who will TRUST Him, people who will BELIEVE that He is the God of MORE than enough!

God always shows Himself strong on behalf of the people who seek Him FIRST-even during the most difficult times. No matter what you may be facing today, God wants to show Himself STRONG for you. He wants to MAKE a way where there seems to BE no way. He wants to SATISFY you and BLESS you ABUNDANTLY so that you can reach out and be a blessing to the people AROUND you. Take a step of faith today and begin to DECLARE His promises over your life. Declare that HE is the One who SATISFIES you all the days of your life.

Today’s Scripture:

“They will not be ashamed in the time of evil, and in the days of famine they will have plenty and be satisfied.”

(Psalm 37:19, AMP)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

INVITE GOD INTO YOUR SITUATION AND EVERYTHING WILL CHANGE

When you face adversity, is your TYPICAL prayer, “God, get me OUT of this”? There’s nothing WRONG with that prayer, but before you get OUT, you have to invite God IN. Sometimes the MIRACLE is in what God wants to do IN the situation. Why don’t you start praying, “God, come INTO this hospital room, come into this troubled RELATIONSHIP, come into this ANXIETY”? More POWERFUL than God bringing you OUT is when He comes IN and gives you favor DESPITE who’s trying to push you down. He comes IN and gives you STRENGTH you can’t explain. He comes in and gives you the GRACE to OUTLAST the challenge.

In today’s Scripture, God says that although adversities are going to come, He will be with you IN them. Are you trying to get OUT of the fire God is going to take you THROUGH? Are you FIGHTING the fire, wondering WHY it happened? EVERYTHING will change if you start inviting God IN. He PROMISED He’ll be WITH you; maybe He’s just waiting for your INVITATION.

Today’s Scripture:

Isaiah 43:2, NLT

When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.