THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

THE ENEMY MAY TRY TO CLOSE THE DOOR, BUT GOD OPENS THE DOOR

In Acts 12, King Herod had the apostle James KILLED and then put Peter in PRISON. Chained between two guards in the deepest part of the prison, Peter was to be brought to trial the following day. Meanwhile the church was PRAYING for him through the night. Herod did everything he could to keep Peter IN, but he didn’t realize that he couldn’t keep God OUT. In the middle of the night, an angel came and led Peter past guard after guard and through the final iron gate to FREEDOM from what WOULD have been the END of Peter.

You’re going to see some of the closed doors that should STOP you–the sickness, the addiction, the lack of job experience–open of their own ACCORD. It’s not going to be anything YOU do. You’re going to be promoted DESPITE who’s trying to hold you back. They may TRY to close the door to you getting the contract, the scholarship, or the loan, but God OPENS the door. Stay in PEACE. You and God are a MAJORITY.

Today’s Scripture:

Acts 12:10, MSG

Past the first guard and then the second, they came to the iron gate that led into the city. It swung open before them on its own, and they were out on the street, free as the breeze.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

KEEP THANKING GOD EVEN THOUGH NOTHING IS IMPROVING…

The city of Jericho, which was surrounded by a HUGE stone wall SO thick that chariots could ride on top, was the last city that stood between the people of Israel and the Promised Land. God told Joshua to have the people march around the walls once a day for six days and SEVEN times on the SEVENTH day. It wouldn’t have been so difficult IF, while they were WALKING, they saw a little CRACK in the wall or a shift in the FOUNDATION, but NOTHING day after day. They didn’t understand it but just kept doing the right thing, and the FINAL time around, the walls came tumbling DOWN.

Too often we’ll stay in faith if we SEE the wall cracking. We’ll keep believing if our boss STARTS treating us better, if the promotion goes THROUGH, if things START to improve. You may not GET a sign. You have to keep THANKING God even though nothing is IMPROVING, keep walking by FAITH and NOT sight, and suddenly the walls WILL come DOWN.

Today’s Scripture:

Joshua 6:4, NLT

Seven priests will walk ahead of the Ark, each carrying a ram’s horn. On the seventh day you are to march around the town seven times, with the priests blowing the horns.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

NO THING AND NO ONE, EXCEPT YOU, CAN CANCEL GOD’S PLAN FOR YOUR LIFE…..

In the Scripture, it wasn’t FAIR for David to be put down by his family, but that didn’t STOP him from taking the throne. It wasn’t fair for Joseph to be BETRAYED, sold into SLAVERY, LIED about, and put in PRISON. That didn’t STOP him from becoming the prime minister of EGYPT. It wasn’t fair for Moses to be born under a DEATH threat and taken away from his FAMILY at an early age, but that didn’t stop HIM from delivering the ISRAELITES.

Who SAYS life has to be fair for us to fulfill our DESTINY? Too often we BELIEVE the lies that we’ve had too many bad BREAKS and too much UNFAIRNESS to EVER do anything GREAT. It doesn’t have to be FAIR for God to do something AWESOME. In FACT, when it’s NOT fair and life has tried to STOP you, you need to give THANKS, because God is about show out the MOST. NO bad break, no INJUSTICE, no disappointment, and no PERSON can cancel God’s PLAN for YOUR life except for you.

Today’s Scripture:

1 Thessalonians 5:18, NLT

Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

THE THINGS YOU DON’T LIKE ARE SERVING GOD’S PLAN…

Joseph went through thirteen YEARS of betrayal, slavery, false accusations, and imprisonment. He had MANY reasons to become bitter, but you NEVER read that Joseph had a BAD attitude. He understood the PRINCIPLE that everything he was experiencing was SERVING God’s PLAN, INCLUDING the bad breaks and unfair things. After Joseph interpreted Pharaoh’s dream and was made prime minister of Egypt, he even declared that the very harm his brothers MEANT for him was INSTRUMENTAL and NECESSARY to getting him to the throne and his DESTINY of saving their LIVES.

Are you upset about something that’s actually serving His PLAN? God will use people who are AGAINST you to move you into your PURPOSE. God uses the bad breaks, the delays, the setbacks, and the injustices to move you into your DESTINY. The things you don’t LIKE, and the things that are taking longer than you THOUGHT, are serving His PLAN. Keep reminding yourself that it’s not working AGAINST you, it’s working FOR you. It will lead you to new LEVELS.

Today’s Scripture:

Genesis 50:20, NLT

You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

GOD HAS NEW PROVISION COMING, DON’T HANG ON TO THE OLD

When the Israelites were in the desert headed toward the Promised Land, God gave them a fresh supply of MANNA every morning. It only LASTED for one day, but some didn’t LISTEN and tried to hold ON to the OLD manna, and it SPOILED.

When YOU hold on to old manna–what God USED to do, FRIENDS who were right for a SEASON, a JOB that you’re AFRAID to step AWAY from–it SPOILS. It won’t FEED you. You won’t GROW. Maybe you’ve enjoyed a friendship for a TIME, but at SOME point, you REALIZE you’ve OUTGROWN the RELATIONSHIP. Or what USED to challenge you about your CAREER doesn’t challenge you ANYMORE. You feel God telling you to STRETCH, to get out of your COMFORT zone, but you’re AFRAID. You wonder why you’re not PASSIONATE, why you’re not GROWING. It’s because that MANNA is OLD; it’s not FEEDING you. God has NEW beginnings. He’s a God of FRESHNESS. The manna was TEMPORARY provision. God has NEW provision coming. Don’t hang on to the OLD.

Today’s Scripture:

Exodus 16:19–20, NIV

Then Moses said to them, “No one is to keep any of [the manna] until morning.” However, some of them…kept part of it until morning, but it was full of maggots and began to smell.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

KEEP LETTING YOUR LIGHT SHINE…..

In John 4, Jesus surprised a SAMARITAN woman at a well when He offered to give her “LIVING water,” meaning eternal LIFE. Not only did Jewish men refuse to have anything to do with Samaritans, let alone a Samaritan WOMAN, but THIS woman had a very bad REPUTATION. Jesus had chosen to wait at the well for a woman who had been written off for her MORAL failures. He didn’t JUDGE her or find FAULT. He spoke LIFE into her. He LIFTED her. He VALUED her. She was the FIRST person whom Jesus ever told He was the Messiah, and THROUGH HER many Samaritans believed in HIM.

God has waited on ALL of us. Now He’s asking, “Will YOU wait on someone for ME? Will you wait on that FRIEND who’s making bad CHOICES? Will you CALL them, ENCOURAGE them, let them know that you CARE? Will you wait on that NEIGHBOR who makes fun of your FAITH? Keep PRAYING, keep ENCOOURAGING, keep LOVING, and keep letting your light SHINE.”

Today’s Scripture:

John 4:9, NLT

The woman was surprised, for Jews refuse to have anything to do with Samaritans. She said to Jesus, “You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?”

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

YOU NEED TO SEE YOURSELF AS A NO-LACK PERSON

It’s easy to go through life thinking we’re LACKING in some area. “If I had a better PERSONALITY, if I were more CONFIDENT, if I were more ATTRACTIVE, I could REACH my dreams.” But as long as you think you’re at a disadvantage, that you got shortchanged, that you’re not up to PAR, it’s going to keep you from rising HIGHER. It’s going to LIMIT your life. That’s a DEFICIT mentality.

Too often we’re looking around at OTHERS and comparing, but God is saying, “You don’t NEED what they have. If you needed it, I would have GIVEN it to you. Look INSIDE. You have the TALENT. You have the CONFIDENCE. You have the CREATIVITY. As long as you TRUST in Me, you will NEVER lack ANY good thing.” You’re NOT at a deficit. You ARE good enough, you are TALENTED enough, you are SMART enough, and you are attractive ENOUGH. You have been fearfully and WONDERFULLY made. You need to see yourself as a NO-lack PERSON.

Today’s Scripture:

Psalm 34:10, NLT

…those who trust in the LORD will lack no good thing.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

WHEN YOU PRAY ACCORDING TO GOD’S WORD, THE MIRACLE IS PUT IN MOTION

In Mark 11, Jesus was hungry and walked over to a fig tree only to discover that it was BARREN. After He said, “May no one EVER eat fruit from you AGAIN,” there was no EVIDENCE that what He said had happened. But the next MORNING “the disciples saw the fig tree had withered from the roots.” When Jesus SPOKE to the tree, the source was cut off in the roots. It had still LOOKED alive, but it was just a matter of TIME before the outside caught up with the INSIDE.

When you PRAY, Jesus says you have to BELIEVE that God put the miracle in MOTION. You can’t wait for the EVIDENCE, and THEN you’ll start believing; you have to believe FIRST. Whether it’s for freedom from an ADDICITION, the healing of a SICKNESS, or a breakthrough in your FINANCES, the prayer of FAITH says, “When I pray according to God’s WORD, I believe it happens right when I PRAY.” It’s just a matter of TIME, and you’ll see what God PROMISED.

Today’s Scripture:

Mark 11:24, NIV

Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

START THANKING GOD THAT BREAKTHROUGHS ARE COMING

We ALL have things we’re BELIEVING for. You may have been patiently waiting, doing the right thing, praying, thanking God, but you don’t see anything CHANGING. It LOOKS as though it’s going to take a long TIME to get well, to break the ADDICTION, to meet the right PERSON. No, you need to get READY. God says, “When the TIME comes, I will do it QUICKLY.” God has ordained certain DESTINY moments in your life when He’s going to do a QUICK work. It’s going to be SO out of the ordinary that you KNOW it’s His hand. What should take YEARS is going to happen in a FRACTION of the time. EVERY thought may tell you, “It’s permanent. It’s NEVER going to change,” but GOD is saying, “THIS is a time I have ORDAINED for you. It’s going to happen SUDDENLY.”

Friend, I believe and DECLARE, if you are READING this today, YOU are on the verge of a major BREAKTHROUGH in your life!! Now, get in AGREEMENT with God. Instead of thinking of all the reasons it’s NOT going to work out, start THANKING Him that breakthroughs ARE coming!

Today’s Scripture:

Isaiah 60:22, NCV

I am the LORD, and when it is time, I will make these things happen quickly.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

PRAISE THE LORD TODAY, TOMORROW AND EVERY DAY

What BETTER way to start the new YEAR than to BLESS the Lord with ALL that is within you? David was saying, “God, I’m not giving You my half-HEARTED praise. I’m giving you a stirred-UP praise, a PASSIONATE praise, my WHOLEHEARTED praise.” It’s not a praise that waits for the right CIRCUMSTANCES or for things to turn around. It doesn’t say, “I’ll have a good attitude when my boss starts TREATING me better. I’ll be joyful when I FEEL better. I’ll have more praise when my finances IMPROVE.” That is BACKWARD thinking. The stirred-UP praise is what’s going to cause things to turn around in this new YEAR.

I wonder what would happen if you would start today to BLESS the Lord with all that is WITHIN you. You can’t wait until you FEEL like it. ANYONE can find a reason to be SOUR. That’s why we have to make the DECISION: “I WILL bless the Lord TODAY, TOMORROW, and EVERY day. I will make EVERY day a day of PRAISE.”

Today’s Scripture:

Psalm 103:1, NKJV

Bless the LORD, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name!