Who Are You Going To Agree With?

Many people feel inadequate to do anything meaningful for God. But God doesn’t see you as inadequate, He sees you as completely able and fully equipped to do whatever He’s called you to do.

One of my favorite Old Testament stories is of Gideon. He was hiding from his enemies. He was afraid and didn’t feel prepared to do what God called him to do. He was focused on his circumstances and his limitations, but God was focused on what He could do through Gideon if he would just surrender and be willing.

Gideon felt weak, but God saw him as strong. Gideon felt unqualified, but God saw him as ready to do the job. Gideon felt insecure, but God saw him as full of boldness. Even when Gideon was telling God all that he was not, and how wrong God’s decision to use him was, God addressed him as, “Mighty man of fearless courage.”

God saw what Gideon COULD BE if he would accept the opportunity God was calling him to. Then sure enough, when Gideon got in agreement with God’s plan for him, against all odds, his situation ended in victory.

Today, what has God called you to do? Remember, it isn’t about how qualified you feel. It isn’t about how talented you are. When you believe God instead of what the enemy is using your circumstances to tell you, that’s when His power becomes available to you. That’s when He can work through you and bring about greatness in every area of your life!

Choose Your Friends Wisely

Sometimes, in order to embrace the destiny God has in store you have to be willing to make some changes in your life. You have to be willing to examine where you are and what you need in order to move forward. This may mean that you need to change some friends that you’re spending time with. The bible says, “Do not let anyone fool you. Bad people can make those who want to live good become bad.”

Maybe they were fine for a season in your life, but now you’ve outgrown them. This is a new season, and in order for you to rise higher you have to break away from relationships that are limiting you. You have to develop some new relationships with people who are going to pull you up and inspire you to rise higher.

This doesn’t just mean separating yourself from people who are holding you back spiritually. I’ve found that if you’re the smartest one in your group, your group is too small. Find people who will challenge you to stretch and grow to the next level; to help you become everything God’s created you to be.

The bible also says, “The person who walks with the wise becomes wise.” Choose your friends wisely and don’t be deceived. Surround yourself with people who will inspire you to rise higher so you can live in the fullness of blessing God has planned for you!

Devine Confidence Instead of Condemnation

In the natural, when we’ve wronged someone, it feels easier to avoid them than to face the discomfort or embarrassment of having to make amends. It isn’t surprising that people sometimes have this same approach to God.

Some people think they should keep their distance from God simply because of the mistakes they’ve made. But nothing could be further from the truth! God’s not mad at you; He’s madly in love with you!

Your loving, heavenly Father is waiting for you with open arms. It doesn’t matter what you’ve done or how people have misrepresented Him to you; know that His goodness is what’s drawing you to Him.

Don’t let condemnation (whether in your mind or that which has been spoken over you by ill-advised people) keep you from turning to God. Trust His kindness. Trust that He wants you to experience His goodness.

Today, let this truth sink deep down into your spirit: Your Creator has promised He’ll never leave you nor forsake you. Turn to Him and let Him pour His loving kindness on you and empower you to walk in that boldness and divine confidence all the days of your life!

How To Develop Wisdom

After Jesus was born, the bible tells us that wise men came from the East to bow before Him and worship Him. They went to great lengths just to get a glimpse of the child and traveled a long distance for many months, following the star. When they saw Him, they were so overwhelmed it says they fell on their faces to honor and worship Him.

The bible also says, “Reverential fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” That means that we should have a reverential honor and respect for Him – just like the wise men did. I don’t mean we must never feel relaxed and comfortable with Him. I myself affectionately refer to God as “Dad” all the time.

I didn’t grow up with a Dad so it’s comforting and heart-warming for me to embrace God as a loving, ever-present Father like my Mother depicted Him to be.

We achieve wisdom in the way I mean when we set everything else in life aside in order to seek our Creator. We are wise when we worship Him and give Him everything that we are. We are wise when we take time to honor Him.

Today, choose wisdom by choosing to put Him first in your heart, your mind, your emotions and your actions. Remember, God is a “Rewarder of the people who diligently seek after Him.” As you continue to put Him first in all you do, you’ll increase in wisdom and discernment, and you’ll move forward into the life of blessing He designed for you.

Peace, Be Still

Have you ever thought about the fact that a boat can be surrounded by water, sailing through a vast ocean with water for miles in every direction, but it’s not any problem unless the boat starts taking on the water? If the boat starts allowing the ocean to come inside, it will sink.

The same principle is true in life. You can have trouble all around you – stress, frustration and worry. But the good news is, just like that boat, you don’t have to allow what’s on the outside to get on the inside.

When difficult times come, you don’t have to be overwhelmed by the waves of worry or fear. What should you do? Follow the example of Jesus. The bible says, “Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, ‘Peace, be still!’ And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.” When He was in the midst of the storm, He stood up and spoke to the storm.

Always remember, no matter what storms may come against you, the Creator of the universe lives on the inside of you. Turn to Him and walk in His power. Don’t let the storm in. Speak peace to every area of your life!

Blessings Are Chasing You Down!

If God were to show you right now all the good that He has in store for your life, I believe it would boggle your mind. He is shifting things in your direction. Expect new and unprecedented favor to come your way!

Regardless of your circumstances, you don’t have to spend one more day of your life worried, uncertain or stressed out. You’re too blessed to be stressed! That’s more than a catchphrase. It’s the truth of God’s promises.

The bible says, “All these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you.” One translation says that blessings are “chasing you down.” When you seek after God you’re like a magnet. It draws in the favor of God. Creativity, promotion, influence, resources and divine connections are all drawn to you because you’ve become a magnet for God’s goodness!

Because of Jesus, you have been made righteous before God and the bible says, “blessings reward the righteous.” Your righteousness is not based on your own good works – it’s based on the work Jesus did on your behalf.

Wholeheartedly put your faith in God. If you’ll put aside worry and stress and just trust God, you’ll discover those blessings you’re looking for. Here’s a very important key to remember: You don’t have to seek the blessings. Seek God and the blessings will seek after you!

The right people will find you! Promotion will come your way! That life-changing opportunity will track you down! You don’t even have to track down the blessings – keep Him first place, and God promised that He will bless your life in ways you can’t even imagine!

Your Season of Grace

God will never ask you to do something without giving you the ability to do it. But when we’re passive or complacent and think, “Yes, I know I need to do that. Maybe next week,” well, next week turns into next month. Next month turns into next year.

When we put off what God has told us to do, we miss that season of grace. But if you’ll deal with things as soon as God brings them to light, you’ll have a special grace, a special empowerment. You’ll feel God’s enabling power helping you to do it.

Think about it, is there something you’ve been putting off? Something you know in your heart that you’re supposed to do? Don’t let your season of grace pass. Don’t keep going around that same mountain by yet again letting your opportunity to overcome slip through your fingers.

God has something amazing in your future! Be bold enough to address what He’s called you to do. Be strong enough to stop putting it of; go ahead and do what it takes to get to your next higher level. Step out in faith, be obedient and watch as God promotes you into abundant blessing!

Finding Rest

God wants you to live in peace and rest no matter what is happening around you. The bible says, “We who have believed, enter that rest.” When you believe God’s words over what your current circumstances may be, you enter into His perfect rest.

But if you’re controlled by the conditions around you, if you’re up when things go your way but down when things don’t, then life is going to be an emotional roller coaster for you. God’s plan is for you to be stable, consistent, and not moved by any of these things.

Anytime you face adversity or hit a tough time, one of the best things you can do is stay calm and immediately seek God. When you partner with the Creator of the universe, you come into a position of power. Declare out loud, “God, I trust You. I know You are still on the throne. This may be difficult, but I know You are fighting my battles.”

I know it may sound overly simple or even unrealistic, but this way of living is what faith is all about – believing that God is who He says He is. One of the many things He says is that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.

Today, choose to believe God so you can enter into His rest and walk in peace and joy no matter what is happening around you. Keep seeking Him and watch as He uses your own measure of faith to increase you in every area of your life.

How To Talk Yourself Into It

In Genesis 17, when Sarah first heard the news that she was going to have a baby, the bible says it was so unbelievable to her that she began to laugh. She was in her 90’s so it seemed impossible from every angle.

I can imagine her saying, “Abraham, a baby? Are you kidding? I’ve gone through the change of life. That defies the laws of nature.” She was saying, “I’m at a disadvantage. I don’t have what it takes,” belittling herself, discounting herself.

Friend, it’s just as easy to talk yourself INTO something as it is to talk yourself OUT of it. Instead of thinking of all the reasons you can’t accomplish your goal, why your relationship isn’t going to last, why you’ll never get out of debt, start talking yourself INTO it!

Practice saying, “I can do all things through Christ. God is making a way even though I don’t see a way. I’m anointed, equipped, talented, more than a conqueror.” The more you speak God’s word, the more you will believe it.

When you meditate on God’s word and speak it over your life consistently, you will be more open to see it come to pass in your life. Start today by declaring His promises. Feed your faith and move forward into the victory and blessing He has in store for you!

The Same Favor

One of the reasons it’s so important to know the word of God is not only to learn His promises and His ways, but to understand His character. What He’s done for others, He will do for you. The same God who displayed His favor in the bible is still at work today.

I believe God wants to flood you with the same favor He flooded Joseph, Abraham and Elijah with. I believe He wants to open new doors, bring new increase and provision. The question is, are you ready to receive it? Can you see it with your eyes of faith?

The bible says that our God is the same yesterday, today and forever. He is with you and for you. Even before you see things turn around, believe that He is working on your behalf. And when He pours out His favor, it won’t be just a drizzle; it’s going to be a flood! A flood of ideas, of good breaks, of talent.

Keep believing and hoping. Open your heart to receive everything God has in store for you. Get ready because the same favor that your heavenly Father displayed in the bible is coming your way, and sooner than you think!

When You Feel Uneasiness

The bible calls Jesus the “Prince of Peace.” That means He is the ruler of peace. Having His peace is not like having the sort of peace the world has. His peace is permanent. It never changes and can never be taken away.

It’s interesting that the word “peace” literally means “to set at one again.” In other words, when we are one with the Father, when we line up our thoughts, our words and our actions with Him we will experience His peace in our lives.

Anytime you find that you don’t have peace about something on the inside, when you feel an uneasiness, that’s a sign that you should stop to pray and make sure you are in line with God’s direction. Remember, His plans are always for your good. He leads you by peace and in that peace you will get your joy back.

Hope & Prosperity

When unexpected things happen like trials, difficulty or tragedy, the enemy sends a whirlwind of fear to try to shake our faith and steal our focus. His goal is to take our eyes off of God and cause us to feel overwhelmed by circumstances.

But if we will choose to stay focused on the love of God, if we choose to meditate on His goodness, the truth will set us free from fear and will ground our hearts in confidence.

Today, know that God loves you perfectly. He is a good God. Jeremiah 29:11 tells us that His plans for us are for good. That He wants to give you hope and a prosperous future. Anytime thoughts of fear come, replace them with words of love. Just declare, “Thank You, God, for leading me into peace. Thank You for giving me hope for my future.”

As you meditate on God’s love and goodness, you’ll feel faith rise up in your heart. You’ll feel hope, you’ll feel strength, and you’ll feel empowered to move forward in the good path He has prepared for you.

Focus

What are you focusing your words, energy and thoughts on? You might be hurting so you’re saying something like, “It’s just so hard right now because money is tight.” Or, “My health doesn’t look good.” Or, “Someone I thought would never leave walked out on me.”

No, you’re focusing on the wrong things. You’re letting defeat, discouragement and self-pity rule your mind. Why don’t you turn that around and say, “God is still in control. Somebody may have walked out on me, I may be hurting right now, but I know God is the Restorer of my soul.” “I may have lost money in an investment or accumulated substantial debt, but I know God is supplying all of my needs. He is fighting my battles.”

When you start letting God reign in your life, you can’t stay defeated. He will cause you to conquer, to be restored, to come out better off than if the situation had never even happened. Begin right now by declaring God's goodness in your life and let Him take over so that you can move forward into the victory He has lined up for you!

How To Build Your Faith

Do you want to have more faith? The bible tells us that, “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”  It doesn’t say, “Faith comes by having heard the word of God one time.” It says that faith comes by hearing, in the present tense.

We have to hear the word of God over and over again in order for it to take root in our hearts and transform our minds. Sure, God’s word can transform us in an instant, but most of the time our faith grows as we hear the word of God again and again.

Just as a seed needs daily water to grow, your spirit needs the word of God daily. The more you hear God’s word, the more you know Him. The more you know Him, the more you will be able to believe Him, and that’s when faith builds!

Today, why don’t you choose a few scriptures to meditate on? Write them down and carry them in your purse or wallet. Let that truth sink down into your soul. Let the truth of the word transform you and move you forward into the abundant life God has prepared for you!

STAND and see!

So many people today run from anything that’s hard. They run from their problems. They run from responsibility. They run from people they don’t like. They run from the past. They run from anything that makes them uncomfortable.

Instead of facing the issues and dealing with them, many folks just take the easy way out and go down the path of least resistance. But if you’re going to live in victory the way God intends, you have to learn how to face your challenges head on.

The bible says, “stand and see the salvation of the Lord.” Notice it doesn’t say, “Keep running until you see the salvation of the Lord.” It doesn’t say, “Bury your head in the sand until God delivers you.” No, God wants us to STAND and fight the good fight of faith.

The good news is that you don’t have to do it in your own strength. The Creator of the universe has equipped you with His supernatural power to overcome every obstacle. So make the decision today to stand strong and face the challenges in your life. Be bold! As you stand in faith, you will see the restoration and deliverance of God in every area of your life!

Comfort

Oftentimes when people face challenges their natural tendency is to seek comfort in things that are familiar. It may be work, an activity or relationships, and of course we all know about “comfort food.” But those things only bring temporary comfort. TRUE comfort is only found in a relationship with Jesus.

God said in Isaiah, “As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you...” According to Webster’s dictionary, comfort means to give strength and hope; to ease grief or trouble. No matter what difficulty you may be facing today, God wants to bring you comfort.

Start reminding yourself that your loving Creator longs to give you strength, hope and confidence. Turn to Him, receive His love. Let go of things that would hold you back. Let Him heal your heart and give you strength for the future. Let Him empower you to rise up and overcome every obstacle!

Are You Ready?

Are you ready for a new chapter in your life? Sometimes in order to move forward into the blessing God has for you, you have to be willing to let go of the old. The things that are behind you are not nearly as important as what is out in front of you. And today I’m telling you it’s time to get ready for the new!

You may have had some unfair things happen, things that you don’t understand, but let me tell you that you have come too far to stop now. Instead of allowing those things to hold you back, why don’t you let go and take a step of faith into the new? It’s time to get a new and bigger vision! It’s time to get a new and fresher outlook! it’s time to rise up with a new attitude!

Instead of settling where you are, pick up and move forward. Have the attitude that says, “I may not understand it, it may not have been fair, but I am not getting stuck on this page. I know God has a new chapter for me and it’s a chapter filled with blessings, favor and victory!”

Speak To Your Mountains!

We’ve all had seasons when the challenges of life feel overwhelming. During those times it’s easy to be tempted to talk about how bad things are. Maybe you received a bad medical report, or maybe you’re facing a large financial obstacle.

The more you talk about something the bigger it becomes in your mind. Instead, you have to dig your heels in and say, “No, I’m not going to give life to that defeat. I’m not going to speak sickness over myself. I’m not going to speak lack. I’m choosing to believe what God says, which is, ‘I can do all things through Christ.’ I can defeat this sickness. I can break this addiction. I can have peace no matter my circumstances.”

Remember friend, even if you don’t see how things could ever work out, the Creator of the universe does. He is still in control. You have to continuously speak His promises over your life, and declare His favor over each difficult situation.

Instead of talking to God about how big your problems are, talk to your problems about how big your God is! As you speak to your mountains, they will be moved, and you will walk forward into the victory and restoration God has prepared for you!

Words

The bible tells us that life and death are in the power of the tongue. God Himself spoke the worlds into existence by the creative power of words. Think about that for a moment. You can bless your future with your words, or you can curse it.

There are many influences over our words. In the heat of the moment, we can let our emotions tell us what to say. We can listen to what others say and allow their opinions and ideas to influence our words. We can even be influenced by what we watch on TV, the internet or read in the news.

Proverbs 16:23 tells us that a wise person does, “The heart of the wise teaches their mouth, and adds learning to their lips.” As a believer, when you listen to your heart, you are allowing the Spirit of God to influence your words.

Today, listen to your heart. Take time to be still and quiet before your loving, heavenly Parent. Allow Him to teach you what to say. As you submit your words and ways to Him, He will direct your path and help you achieve success in every area of your life!

Right Labels

When you make a mistake, unfortunately the critics and haters come out of the woodwork. People will tell you, “You’ve made too many mistakes; It’s too late; You’ve missed your destiny.” But friend, if you wear that label it will continue to keep you from the amazing future God has in store.

God says, “My mercy is bigger than any mistake.” God says, “I can still get you to your destiny.” God says, “I will give you beauty for those ashes. I’ll pay you back double for the unfair things that have happened.”

Understand, you wouldn’t be alive unless God still had an amazing plan for your life. I want to urge you to take off any negative label someone else or you yourself have put on you. Take off the “failure,” “stupid,” “trouble-maker” labels and put on GOD’s labels: redeemed, restored, forgiven, bright future, new beginning.

Always remember, you have been made in the image of the Creator of the universe! God didn’t make any mistakes. You have the right personality, the right gifts, the right looks, the right skin color. You are not an accident!

Let this sink deep down in your spirit, God designed you precisely for the race that is laid out for you. You are fully equipped for it and His mercy is greater than any mistake you could ever make. Embrace this truth today so you can begin to live the life of victory He planned for you!

Get Back In The Game!

Is there a desire that you placed on the shelf, so to speak? Have you been sitting on the sidelines of your dream, celebrating everybody else’s victories, watching the promises come to pass in their lives?

The bible says. “We have all these great people around us as examples. Their lives tell us what faith means. So we, too, should run the race that is before us and never quit. We should remove from our lives anything that would slow us down and the sin that so often makes us fall.”

It’s good to celebrate with others but God wants to do something amazing in your life, too. He wants you to be celebrated. You don’t have to sit on the sidelines watching everyone else. You have treasure inside of you!

Think about the promises that God has spoken over you. It’s not too late. You’re not too old. It may look impossible but our God can do the impossible. When you believe, favor is released. Don’t waste another day sitting on the sidelines of life. It’s time to get back in the game! It’s time to run your race. It’s time to press forward into the promises that God has in store for you!

Getting You Where You Need To Be

Have you ever felt overwhelmed or even afraid of what God has called you to do or where He’s called you to go? Maybe you were pursuing a dream or goal and things didn’t turn out the way you thought they would/should.

The bible records such a situation for Joseph, “...an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. ‘Joseph, son of David,’ the angel said, ‘do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit.’ ”

Joseph had planned to take Mary as his wife but when he found out she was pregnant he didn’t know what to think. He was afraid that he might be making a mistake because things didn’t turn out the way he thought. But, God sent a messenger in a dream to reassure Joseph that he was indeed on the right path.

Today, let me reassure you that God knows right where you are and He knows how to get you to where you need to be. Even when things don’t go the way you planned, don’t be afraid. Trust that God is still working behind the scenes on your behalf, and that He will get you to that place you know He’s calling you to.

Beauty For Ashes

Everyone has experienced hurt and disappointment in life, but God doesn’t want us to sit in the ashes of the past. The bible says, “He will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair.”

Your loving, heavenly Parent wants to trade your brokenness for healing. The key is that we have to be willing to give up the “ashes” in order to receive the “beauty.” You can’t have both because the old has to go before the new can come.

Friend, ask yourself if you’re really trusting God with your past hurts and mistakes. Are you willing to make the choice to let go of the pain, to forgive others (and yourself) so you can move forward into real peace, victory and freedom?

I want to encourage you not to waste another moment sitting in the ashes. The past is over but your future remains, and if you’ll trust God, He said it will be more amazing than what you could’ve hoped or dreamed of yourself. Choose to let Him give you joy instead of mourning; let Him begin to make something beautiful out of the ashes!

It’s A GIFT

We serve a loving, gracious, generous God. He loves you so much that there isn’t anything He wouldn’t do in order to have a relationship with you. The bible tells us that sin separated us from God, but God doesn’t want to be separated from us. That’s why He sent His Son into the world – to pay the penalty for sin so that you and I could have a relationship with Him.

So many people today think they have to earn their way to heaven. They think they have to be “good enough” or “always do the right thing” in order to be accepted by God. They want to “clean up” before they come to Him. But the bible says, “You have been saved by grace because you believed. You did not save yourselves; it was a gift from God.”

Understand, though you may feel compelled to try and earn gifts from people, you can’t earn this gift from God. You don’t pay for His love; you can only receive it by faith. If you’ve never made Jesus the Lord of your life, I encourage you to receive this free gift.

All you need to do is sincerely say this simple prayer, “Father in heaven, I come to You today giving You all that I am. Thank You for the gift of salvation through Your Son, Jesus. I believe He died and rose for me, and I invite You to be Lord in every area of my life.”

Whether you’re already saved or you just now declared that prayer I urge you to choose today to let Him fill you with His eternal peace and joy so that you can start living the abundant life He’s carefully designed just for you.

Say Continually

In Psalm 35:27, God’s people were commanded to “say continually, ‘Let God be magnified. He takes pleasure in prospering me.’” I believe one reason they were supposed to say it all the time is so it would get down on the inside of their hearts.

See, when we hear something long enough, we start to believe it. It starts to affect the way we see things. I want to encourage you today to stop dwelling on negative, defeated thoughts and start dwelling on thoughts like, “God takes pleasure in prospering me. Good breaks are in my future. Explosive blessings are coming my way!”

Starting right now, let the truth of God’s promises sink down into your heart. All throughout each day, declare His goodness; declare His faithfulness; declare His blessings because He delights in seeing you prosper. When you surrender your will to Him and let Him direct your steps you will begin seeing His amazing plan come together in your life.

Are You Ready For Increase?

Are you ready to go to the next level, spiritually, physically and emotionally? Many times, people hear the truth that God has more in store for them, and something resonates on the inside. Their spirit comes into agreement with God.

Then there are times when a person’s natural mind will try to talk them out it. Thoughts will come like, “Good things come to everyone but me. My situation is hopeless. I have too much debt. I’ve gone as far as possible at this job. I’ll never find anyone to be happy with again.”

Friend, you have to get rid of those negative thoughts! This is a new season! What’s happened in the past is over and done. You may have been through disappointments, you may have tried and failed, or things didn’t work out. But that’s okay – God is still in control.

Your loving Creator said, “I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it?” It’s time to get in agreement with God and embrace a new vision for your life. It’s time to open yourself to a new way of thinking and speaking so that you can receive all the blessings God has lined up for you!

You Have Something To Offer That No One Else Can

The bible says, “Love is kind.” One translation says that, “love looks for a way to be constructive.” In other words, love looks for ways to improve someone else’s life. Love brings out the best in other people.

I want to challenge you (and myself) to not just get up in the morning thinking about yourself or how you can make your own life better, but to think about how you can make someone else’s life better. Ask yourself, “Who can I encourage today?” 

You have something to offer those around you that no one else can give. Someone in your life needs your encouragement. Someone in your life needs to know that you value them. I believe God is counting on us to bring out the best in the people He brings across our path.

Ask yourself today, are you improving the lives of those around you? Are you pouring confidence into them? Seek God for more creative ways to bring out the best in others. As you sow into the lives of others, He will send people across your path to build you up and help you embrace every blessing He has planned for you, too.