THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

GOD SAYS, WE CAN ASK FOR THINGS THAT SEEM IMPOSSIBLE

I think most of us see many people in the Bible as SUPERHUMAN. When we read about someone like the prophet Elijah and the MIRACLES he did, we think he had so much more FAITH than us, and God favored HIM because he was so SPECIAL. Yet James says that “Elijah was as completely HUMAN as we are.” Of course, we KNOW he was human, not an alien. But God was REMINDING us that Elijah was just like you and ME–an ORDINARY person who was filled with the Spirit of the Most High GOD. He didn’t walk around with a supernatural GLOW. The reason you’re reading about Elijah TODAY is that he dared to pray BOLD prayers. He dared to ask for the IMPOSSIBLE. That’s what made him stand OUT, and we can do the SAME.

Quit DISCOUNTING yourself. Quit thinking you can’t PRAY for something BIG, that you don’t have the FAITH. The requirement is that you are a HUMAN. Since you ARE, God says you can ask for things that seem IMPOSSIBLE.

Today’s Scripture:

James 5:17, TLB

Elijah was as completely human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for the next three and a half years!

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

GOD HAS PROMISED TO BE GOOD TO YOU

In Genesis 32, when Jacob and his family were about to meet his brother, Esau, after many years of being estranged, Jacob believed that Esau might still seek revenge and KILL him. Jacob had cheated Esau out of his birthright and tricked their father into giving him the blessing that belonged to Esau before he fled for his life. Jacob prayed for God’s PROTECTION for him and his FAMILY, but he didn’t stop THERE. In today’s Scripture, he REMINDED God of the PROMISE He had made to him as a young man. Despite all the WRONGS done, despite his UNWORTHINESS, he had the BOLDNESS to REMIND God, “You PROMISED…” Esau not only FORGAVE him but welcomed him HOME.

God is not holding your mistakes AGAINST you, so don’t go through life holding them against YOURSELF. He has PROMISED to be GOOD to you, to RESTORE what the ENEMY has stolen, to FORGIVE and NOT remember your sins. Put God in REMEMBRANCE of what He PROMISED, not what you FEEL like or what you feel you DESERVE.

Today’s Scripture:

Genesis 32:12, NLT

“But you promised me, ‘I will surely treat you kindly, and I will multiply your descendants until they become as numerous as the sands along the seashore–too many to count.'”

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

THE LORD WILL WITHOLD NO GOOD THING FROM THOSE WHO DO WHAT IS RIGHT

God not only knows everything you NEED in the future, but He knows WHEN you’re going to NEED it. HE’S the SOURCE. He knows where all the good things ARE. He has already lined up EVERYTHING you’ll need. He’s not going to withhold the FINANCES, the HEALTH, the IDEAS, or the CONNECTIONSS. Quit WORRYING about HOW it’s going to work OUT. God is in CONTROL. He has UNLIMITED resources. He knows how to get you to the right PLACE at the right TIME. He can give you ONE IDEA that will CATAPULT you to a new LEVEL. He can cause one PERSON to come across your path who will help you accomplish a DREAM that seems IMPOSSIBLE.

Too often we’re striving to make things happen on our OWN, trying to beat DOORS down. God is saying, “Ask ME for help. Call on My NAME, and I WILL answer. Acknowledge ME every day as your SOURCE. What you’re BELIEVING for, I ALREADY have PREPARED.” Now it’s time to go to HIM.

Today’s Scripture:

Psalm 84:11, NLT

For the LORD God is our sun and shield. He gives us grace and glory. The LORD will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

YOU CAN’T HAVE A DEFEATED MENTALITY AND LIVE A VICTORIOUS LIFE

The Scripture says to put on a garment of PRAISE for a spirit of heaviness. A garment is like a coat. Before you can put on a coat of PRAISE, you have to take OFF a coat of heaviness. Sometimes we wonder why we don’t have any JOY, why we’re not PASSIONATE. We’re wearing the wrong COAT. “Nothing good is in my future. I never get any breaks.” That coat of discouragement doesn’t look GOOD on you, that coat of self-PITTY is out of STYLE, and that coat of bitterness over who left you or what you didn’t get doesn’t FIT you anymore. Now do YOUR part and take OFF that coat of offense and put on a coat of PRAISE. “Father, thank You that Your plans for me are for GOOD. Thank You that what You STARTED in my life You will FINISH.” If you’re going to rise to the next LEVEL, you have to adjust your ATTITUDE. You can’t have a defeated MENTALITY and live a victorious LIFE.

Today’s Scripture:

Isaiah 61:3, NKJV

…to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness…

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

GET YOUR PASSION BACK, GOD HAS THE FINAL SAY…

In John 11, Mary and Martha sent word to Jesus that their brother, Lazarus, was very sick. They thought He would come immediately and HEAL Lazarus. But DAYS passed, and Lazarus died. When Jesus showed UP, Martha was UPSET. She said, “Jesus, if You had been here sooner, my brother would not have died.” Martha COULD have walked away in anger and bitterness, which would be the end of the STORY. But she ADDED, “I know even NOW God will give You WHATEVER You ask.” She was saying, “It SEEMS impossible, but I know YOU have the FINAL say.” They went to the tomb, the place where Martha STOPPED believing, and rolled away the stone, and Jesus gave them a RESURRECTION.

Perhaps you’ve given up on a promise or a dream or a relationship and rolled a stone in front of it. Start believing again right where you gave up. Get your passion back. It may have been dead, but that wasn’t the final word. God has the final say–freedom, wholeness, abundance, victory.

Today’s Scripture:

John 11:22, NIV

But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

THAT DIFFICULTY DIDN’T COME TO STAY, IT CAME TO PASS……

There are times when we feel OVERWHELMED by a loss, by a sickness, or by being treated UNFAIRLY by someone, and we say, “I can’t take the STRESS, the WORRY, the DEMANDS. It’s too much to HANDLE.” But God wouldn’t be a just God if He didn’t DESIGN you with exactly what you NEED. The apostle Paul says that God will NEVER let you face more pressure than you can handle. He will make a way of ESCAPE so you can BEAR it.

Now, you can choose in your mind to give UP and think, “I can’t DO this,” OR, you can choose to “not FAINT in your mind” (Hebrews 12:3). Your inner DESIGN is STRONG enough, now get your MIND strong enough. Quit telling yourself, “It’s too BIG. It’s been this way too LONG. I can’t TAKE it anymore.” You are well ABLE. NO weapon formed against you will prosper. That difficulty didn’t come to STAY, it came to PASS. Be strong and of good COURAGE, for the Lord your God IS WITH you.

Today’s Scripture:

1 Corinthians 10:13, ESV

God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

GOD HAS BROUGHT YOU THIS FAR, AND THE LORD YOUR GOD IS GOING TO KEEP YOU GOING

When you look BACK over your life, you can see the GOODNESS of God. There were the times when He made a WAY when you didn’t SEE a way. You were at the right PLACE at the right TIME. Your health didn’t LOOK good, but SOMEHOW it turned AROUND. You made mistakes that should have held you BACK, but God in His mercy COVERED you. He brought you OUT, and now you’re BLESSED and fulfilling your PURPOSE. You didn’t GET to where you are by YOURSELF. It was the hand of GOD. He’s been working behind the SCENES in your life, pushing back forces of darkness.

What has God DONE in your life? Are you RECOGNIZING it, are you living AMAZED, filled with GRATITUDE? Take time every day to ACKNOWLEDGE how GREAT His GOODNESS has been in your life. If you’re going to continue to go FURTHER, you need to remember that the Lord your God has brought you THIS far, and the Lord your God is going to keep you GOING.

Today’s Scripture:

Psalm 31:19, TLB

Oh, how great is your goodness to those who publicly declare that you will rescue them. For you have stored up great blessings for those who trust and reverence you.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

GOD DOESN’T NEED YOUR TALENT, ABILITY OR EDUCATION. HE NEEDS FOR YOUR FAITH TO GET IN AGREEMENT WITH HIM

When God brought the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt, He said the Promised Land was theirs to go in and POSSESS. He promised they would DEFEAT every enemy and come into ABUNDANCE. But when the ten spies came back with the report that the people were too BIG and POWERFUL, the people became AFRAID and wanted to go back to being SLAVES. Instead of staying with a committed FAITH in the PROMISE, they dragged their feet in UNBELIEF. What happened? They never made it into the Promised Land because the promised HOPE wasn’t mixed with FAITH.

God’s promises give us HOPE. What YOU’RE mixing with the PROMISES will determine whether they come ALIVE, and you see God’s favor and blessing and receive everything He’s PROMISED. The SCRIPTURE says, “Without FAITH it’s impossible to PLEASE God.” He doesn’t necessarily NEED your talent, your ability, or your education. He needs your FAITH to get in AGREEMENT with Him, to take that PROMISE and BELIEVE it will come to PASS.

Today’s Scripture:

Hebrews 6:11–12, MSG

I want each of you to extend that same intensity toward a full-bodied hope and keep at it till the finish. Don’t drag your feet. Be like those who stay the course with committed faith and then get everything promised to them.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

YOU WILL BECOME WHAT YOU BELIEVE…..

Abram was ninety-nine years old when God promised him that he and Sarah were going to have a BABY. BOTH of them were way too old, but God did something UNUSUAL. In addition to giving them the promise, He CHANGED Abram’s name to ABRAHAM, which means “father of many nations.” Every time someone said, “Hello, ABRAHAM,” they were saying, “Hello, father of many nations.” When he had NO child with Sarah, they were speaking FAITH into his DESTINY, and during the following YEAR, baby ISAAC was born.

That’s why it’s so important to start calling YOURSELF what GOD says about YOU. What you continually HEAR gets down INSIDE. You will become what you BELIEVE. Every time you say, “I am BLESSED. I am PROSPEROUS. I am HEALTHY,” it’s getting deeper INSIDE, it’s changing your self-IMAGE, it’s REPROGRAMMING your MIND. The change may not happen OVERNIGHT, but God IS changing your NAME. Having the right NAME is what’s going to help you stay STRONG so YOU can become what God says about YOU.

Today’s Scripture:

Genesis 17:5, NIV

No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

YOU HAVE TO KEEP GETTING BACK UP AND OUTLAST THE ATTACKS

When life knocks you down, steps on you, takes your HEALTH, or squashes your DREAMS, you just have to get back UP again. The way you win SOME battles is not by DEFEATING them but by OUTLASING the opposition. You have COMEBACK power. Some enemies are STUBBORN. You can’t be weak and give up because it’s not happening on YOUR timetable. You have to OUTLAST the trouble at work, outlast the slow SEASON in your FINANCES, outlast the difficulty in your MARRIAGE. We ALL want God to deliver us from attacks, but if He’s not CHANGING it, then it’s really SIMPLE–you have to keep getting back up and OUTLAST the attacks.

Sometimes we think God has FORGOTTEN about us. We’ve seen Him turn situations around in the PAST, but THIS problem won’t seem to go AWAYU. You have to have a HOLY determination and say, “Staying down is NOT an option. I’m going to OUTLAST this sickness, this addiction, this injustice, these critics.” The VICTORY will come through OUTLASTING it.

Today’s Scripture:

Proverbs 24:16, HCSB

Though a righteous man falls seven times, he will get up…