Friday, August 29, 2014

The Way You Should Go!

by Dave

Today's Scripture:
"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you."  (Psalm 32:8, NIV)
 
Today's Word:
Do you need direction in your life today? Maybe you are facing an important decision in your job, at home or in your relationships. Know this: God Himself will teach you what you should do. He promises to show you the path you should take. He’s watching over you and giving you advice every step of the way!

Understand that God’s not just concerned with the goal or end result. It’s not just about getting you from point “A” to point “B.” He is with you every step of the way during the entire process. He wants to see your character develop and mature. He wants you to grow in faith and understanding. Most times, our growth in life happens when circumstances seem to be the most uncertain. Those uncertain times cause us to rely more on God. But no matter how uncertain things may seem, God still has His eye on you. He’s making sure you make the right choices. He’s working with you to shape your character and attitude. 

Remember, He’s promised to never leave you nor forsake you. You may not always see what’s up ahead, but know that He’s instructing you and teaching you in the way you should go!
 
Prayer for Today:
Father, thank You for teaching and guiding me and giving me direction in my life. I receive Your counsel today. Help me to be more like You and to hear You clearly in Jesus’ name. Amen

Why You Can't Go It Alone



By Ryan D.

Anyone who has come to grips with their own addictive behavior will confront new questions: What do I do now? Do I join a group somewhere? Can I fix it on my own?

Chances are, you’ll be begging for the last answer to be yes. Yet, the chances favor the reality that on your own, you will flounder. Support groups places where people who struggle with similar addictions can express their frustrations, successes, and fears safely.

But common road signs have been sitting in your mind to keep you isolated, blocking your transit to recovery:

1)  I’m ashamed. The biggest barrier to joining a support group is shame. Almost everyone presented with the avenue of support groups fights this feeling at the start, even those who believe they have been “walking in the light” for some time by telling others about their struggles.

When the secrets of your life whisper from the crevices of your mind, you feel as if you’re in a ghost story: no one will believe how terrifying the secrets are, and no one will want to be around you when you admit them truly.

Another largely subconscious barrier to joining support groups is the hard reality that if you commit to a group that meets solely over addiction, you will have to regularly think about “the problem.” You’ll have to give your addiction its due credit for the hold it has in your life and---worse yet---you will have to become serious about getting rid of addictive behavior.

2)  God is supposed to deliver me from this; why should I go to people? This can sound at first like a good, Christian solution. After all, if we live life to bring glory to God, why let other people steal it away by being the keys to finally overcoming our addiction?

The problem is that God has unmistakably laid out a plan to achieve his purposes through people. The redemption of a soul comes through a relationship, a spoken word, or some other human intersection. Why should addiction recovery be any different?

Here is where the glory of God shines: you have a plan for how to fix your life, and he brings you down an entirely different path. In the end, you are much, much more usable for his glory than you would have been if you had privately beaten addiction and never had your burdens carried by another.

3)  Support groups are weird; everyone says their name and stuff. They’re not weird, though people sometimes are. Formality is necessary for vastly different personalities to coexist in the same group. This isn’t the beginning of Fight Club; this is a room of people who empathize with your pain and are ready to help you do something about it.

Do something about it. Make the terrifying leap in order to actually be seen and heard as you are. Search for a L.I.F.E. Recovery Group inyour area

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

New Thinking, New Living

by Dave

Today's Scripture:
"And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine bursts the wineskins, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But new wine must be put into new wineskins."  (Mark 2:22, NKJV).
 
Today's Word:
Are you ready for increase? Are you ready to go to the next level, spiritually, physically and emotionally? Many times, people hear that God has more in store and something resonates on the inside. Their spirit comes into agreement with God, but oftentimes, their natural mind will be bombarded with doubt. Thoughts will come like, “It’s not going to happen for you. You’re not going to have a great year. You know what the economy is like.” Or, “You’re never going to get well. You saw what the medical report said.” “You’re never going to get married. You’ve been single so long.”

Those are old wineskins; the old way of thinking that you have to get rid of. This is a new season. What’s happened in the past is over and done. You may have been through some disappointments; you may have tried and failed, or things didn’t work out. That’s okay. God is still on the throne. It’s time to get a new vision for your life. It’s time for new thinking. You can’t move forward with old mindsets. Let go of the old and embrace the new so you can receive all of the blessings God has in store for you!
 
Prayer for Today:
Father, today I choose to release old thinking, old habits and anything that would keep me from Your best. Strengthen me by Your Spirit so that I can live in faith and embrace the new life You have in store for me in Jesus’ name. Amen

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

A Gift from God

by Dave

Today's Scripture:
"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God."  (Ephesians 2:8, NKJV).
 
Today's Word:
We serve such a generous and loving 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 separates man from God, but God doesn’t want to be separated from any of us. That’s why He sent Jesus into the world—to pay the penalty for sin so that we could live in eternity with Him.

So many people today think they have to earn their way to heaven. They think they have to be “good enough” or “do the right thing” in order to be accepted by God. They want to “clean up” before they come to Him. But notice what today’s verse says—salvation is a gift from God. You can’t earn a gift. You don’t pay for it. You can only receive it by faith and say thank You. If you’ve never received Jesus as the Lord of your life, there’s no better time to receive this free gift. Let Him fill you with His peace and joy both now and throughout eternity.
 
Prayer for Today:
Father, I come to You today giving You all that I am. Thank You for the gift of salvation through Your Son. Jesus, I believe You died and rose for me, and I invite You now to be the Lord of every area of my life in Jesus’ name. Amen

Sunday, August 24, 2014

Believe and Declare

by Dave

Today's Scripture:
"It is written: ‘I believed; therefore I have spoken.’ Since we have that same spirit of faith, we also believe and therefore speak."  (2 Corinthians 4:13, NIV).
 
Today's Word:
There was a man who was believing to pay his house off. It was a standard 30-year mortgage, and he had 23 years left. In the natural, there was no way he could do it. But he was bold enough to say, “Father, I want to thank You that You are Jehovah Jireh; the Lord my provider. I know my job is not my source. You are my source. It may look impossible, but I know You can do the impossible.”

Several years ago, he received an inheritance from a family member that he had never met before. He didn’t even know they were related. He was able to not only pay his house off, but he paid a friend’s house off as well. What was that? Explosive blessings!

When you believe God, you position yourself for a miracle. When you obey His commands, you set yourself under the open windows of heaven. When you declare His Word, you open the door for Him to move on your behalf. Keep standing, keep believing, keep speaking and see the victory and blessing He has in store for you!
 
Prayer for Today:
Father, thank You for Your Word which is alive and powerful! I set my mind on Your promises and choose to declare what You say about me. Thank You for Your faithfulness as I move forward in the good plan You have for me in Jesus’ name. Amen

Thursday, August 21, 2014

You've Struggled Long Enough

by Dave
 
Today's Scripture:
"The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still."  (Exodus 14:14, NIV).
 
Today's Word:
All through life, the enemy tries to stop us with a yoke of bondage—a yoke of depression, a yoke of low self-esteem, a yoke of compromise. He’ll try to burden you down so that everything is a struggle. You may be working hard, but you can’t get ahead because you have all these yokes controlling you.

Maybe you’ve been living with a yoke your whole life. It’s been passed down to you. Maybe you don’t realize it. You can’t seem to get ahead. You’re struggling in your marriage. Your children won’t do what’s right. Low self-esteem, that’s all you’ve known. But God said to the Israelites, “I have seen the affliction of My people, and I am coming down to deliver them.” God sees every yoke, every unfair situation, everything that you struggle with. He doesn’t just sit back and say, “Well, too bad.” No, He says, “I’m coming down to do something about it.” You don’t have to worry. The yoke destroyer is on the way. God is saying, “I’m coming down to put an end to that struggle. I’m shifting things in your favor. I’m delivering you from addictions. I’m removing the burden and setting you free to walk into the fullness of your destiny.”
 
Prayer for Today:
Father, thank You for fighting my battles. Thank You for delivering me from all my enemies. I will stand and see Your goodness and praise You for Your faithfulness in Jesus’ name. Amen

Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Yoke Destroyer

by Dave

Today's Scripture:
"And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing."  (Isaiah 10:27, KJV).
 
Today's Word:
A yoke is something that is put around the neck of an ox to help control the animal. It limits its movement. If the ox starts to get off course, the yoke is used to pull it back. Even though an ox is very powerful, this small yoke keeps it from doing what it wants to do.

Some people don’t realize today that they’re living with a yoke around their neck. They wonder why they can’t get ahead or why everything is a struggle. It’s because of the yokes that are dragging them down. Negative words that were spoken over you can become a yoke. Every time you start to step out, you hear that voice, that parent, that coach saying, “You’re not that talented; you don’t have what it takes.” It plays again and again. Eventually, you shrink back. That’s a yoke.

Today, know that God’s burden-moving, yoke-destroying power will set you free! Call on Him and let Him set you free from every bondage of the past. Choose to forgive and release the yoke of bitterness. Don’t go around being burdened any longer. Study His Word and let His anointing set you free to live in total victory!
 
Prayer for Today:
Father, thank You for destroying every yoke off of my life. I choose to surrender every hurt and pain of the past to You. I choose Your Word which is life to my soul. Thank You for Your anointing at work in my life to destroy every yoke and set me free in Jesus’ name! Amen

Monday, August 18, 2014

Believe God over the "Experts"

by Dave

Today's Scripture:
"But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty."(1 Corinthians 1:27, KJV).

Today's Word:
Did you know that according to all the laws of aerodynamics, a bumblebee should not be able to fly? Its wingspan is too small for the size of its body. It can't get enough lift. But here's the key: Nobody told the bumblebee. It didn’t get the memo. No experts were able to talk it out of flying. The bumblebee felt its wings on its sides and something in its DNA said, “I'm supposed to fly. I'm not made to just crawl around on the ground.” It didn't read the latest engineering report. It just did what was natural and started flapping its wings and took off into the air.

Have you ever had the experts tell you, “You’ll never get well; you’ll never get out of debt; you’ve gone as far as your education allows; this is as good as it gets?” With all due respect, the experts can be wrong. The “experts” told me at the very least I would be walking with a cane if not in a wheelchair by age 30. I’m still on my feet today, walking, running, biking… all because of God. Believe God over the experts and watch what He will do on your behalf!

Prayer for Today:
Father, thank You for Your goodness and faithfulness in my life. I believe You over what the “experts” tell me. I believe that You are faithful and expect to see Your goodness all the days of my life in Jesus’ name. Amen

Saturday, August 16, 2014

Wait On The Lord

by Dave

Today's Scripture:
"But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint."
(Isaiah 40:31, NKJV).
 
Today's Word:
Do you need strength today? Sometimes it’s easy to get down and discouraged when you’re constantly looking at the circumstances of life. You may feel tired and weary from a long spiritual or emotional battle. But when you wait on the Lord, the Bible says your strength will be renewed.

Waiting on the Lord means you’re putting your trust and hope in Him. You’re living with an attitude of faith and expectancy. In the natural, if you are waiting for someone like a special dinner guest, you probably aren’t just sitting around the house wondering what will happen. No, you’re probably preparing for that special person, straightening the house and making sure everything is perfect for their arrival. Most likely, you started weeks in advance making the menu and deciding what to wear! In the same way, when you are waiting on the Lord, it doesn’t mean you are just sitting around. It means you are preparing for Him.

Are you ready for God to move on your behalf? Are you waiting on Him? As you take a step of faith, He’ll meet you there. He’ll renew your strength and lead you into victory in every area of your life!
 
Prayer for Today:
Father, thank You for Your promise to renew my strength. I choose to wait on You. I choose to trust You. I choose to prepare for You to move mightily in my life in Jesus’ name! Amen
 

Thursday, August 14, 2014

Delete & Repeat

by Dave

Today's Scripture:
"So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."(Romans 10:17, NKJV).
 
Today's Word:
Are you allowing negative thoughts to stifle your potential? Why don't you start hitting the delete button? The experts may have told you that things are impossible or how it's not going to work out, but those people don’t know what God has in store. He has the final say. He wouldn’t have placed that dream in your heart or given you that promise if He didn’t have a way to bring it to pass. It’s time to delete what the naysayers have told you. It’s time to delete the discouraging words. Delete the negative reports. You’ve got to delete and repeat. You’ve got to keep deleting those negative thoughts and keep replacing them with the Word of God until you get back to your original software, so to speak—until faith is stronger than your doubts.

Who told you that you can't be successful? Who told you you're not tall enough, not smart enough, or that you’ve reached your limits? I can assure you that it did not come from your Creator. Don't let others set the limits for your life. Delete those wrong thoughts, believe God’s Word, and embrace the blessing and victory He has in store for you!
 
Prayer for Today:
Father, thank You for Your Word which sets me free. I choose to delete every negative mindset and replace it with Your truth. Give me Your joy which is strength as I am daily transformed by the renewing of my mind in Jesus’ name. Amen

Tuesday, August 12, 2014

Water The Right Seeds

by Dave
 
Today's Scripture:
"Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times."   (Mark 4:8, NIV).
 
Today's Word:
There was a report about children who had been bullied in school. It talked about how years later, those negative words were still having an effect on many of them. They interviewed this one man. He was in his 40’s. He looked to be a bright, intelligent man, but he had not been able to hold down a good job, struggled in his relationships, and couldn’t seem to get on course. He said as a child, he was overweight. He was chubby, and some of the other children made fun of him and called him names like “loser” and “failure.” He made the mistake of letting those words take root. Now they were keeping him in mediocrity.
 
When somebody calls you something, either good or bad, that seed is planted in your soil. Now you get to determine whether or not that seed takes root and grows. When you dwell on what was said, you are watering the seed. You’re giving it a right to become a reality. That’s why it’s so important that we’re disciplined in our thought life. It’s great when people tell you, “You’re blessed. You’re talented. You’re going to do great things.” Meditate on those throughout the day. Water those seeds and watch His truth become your reality!
 
Prayer for Today:
Father, thank You for depositing seeds of greatness inside of me. I choose to uproot every negative word spoken over me by accepting Your truth that will set me free! In Jesus’ name. Amen

Monday, August 11, 2014

It's Never Too Late

by Dave

Today's Scripture:
"See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? ..."(Isaiah 43:19, NIV).
 
Today's Word:
No matter what has happened in your life, it is never too late to become everything God created you to be. The key is to clear out all the negative things people have said about you and focus on what God says about you!
 
You are not who people say you are. You are who God says you are. You have to clear out what that old coach or teacher said about you. Delete it. Quit dwelling on that. You have exactly what you need for the race that’s been designed for you. Clear out what the counselor said, “You’re just a C student. You’re not college material.” Delete it. You’re an A student. You have seeds of greatness. Clear out what the ex-boyfriend or ex-spouse said, “You’re not attractive. You’re not good enough for me.” Delete it. You’re a masterpiece, one of a kind, beautiful, attractive, God’s prized possession. You might even have to clear out what a parent said or whoever raised you. “You’re so undisciplined. You’re never going to amount to much. You can’t do anything right.” Delete it. You are destined to do great things.
 
You’re destined to leave your mark on this generation, and it’s never too late to embrace all God has in store for you!
 
Prayer for Today:
Father, thank You for renewing and restoring my mind. I choose to clear out the negative input from my past so I can make room for Your truth. Show me Your love and the good plan You have for me in Jesus’ name. Amen

Thursday, August 7, 2014

Don't Just Pray to Become a Better Slave

by Dave
 
Today's Scripture:
"Therefore, say to the Israelites: 'I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment.’" (Exodus 6:6, NIV).
 
Today's Word:
When the Israelites were in slavery, they were forced to make bricks all day long. They were given quotas that were almost impossible to meet. And at one point, Pharaoh got upset and had the supervisors take away all the straw they needed for bricks. They had the same quota, but they had to go find their own straw. No doubt they prayed, “God, please give us straw. God, You know these supervisors are going to get upset. We’re not going to make our quotas.” They had been pushed down for so long. They had such a limited vision when they were praying for more straw. In effect, they were praying to become a better slave. God said, “That’s too small. I don’t want to make you a better slave. I want to take you totally out of that bondage. I created you as the head and not the tail, the victor and not the victim.”
 
Today, don’t just pray for improvement in your difficult situation, pray for deliverance from it! See beyond your circumstances and let Him lead you out into the place of victory and abundance!
 
Prayer for Today:
Father, today I release a slave mentality. I pray and ask for Your complete deliverance from every form of bondage in my life. Help me to think the way You think and see the way You see. Thank You for freedom all the days of my life in Jesus’ name. Amen

Hit the Delete Button

by Dave

Today's Scripture:
"Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past."  (Isaiah 43:18, NIV).
 
Today's Word:
Our minds work a lot like a computer. The way we program our thinking will determine how our lives are going to function. You can have the most expensive, powerful computer you can find, but if you load the wrong software, it’s not going to perform at its best. In the same way, many people are not living a victorious life not because there is something wrong with them, but because of what has been programmed in their thinking. They start believing the lies, “I’m not talented. I don’t have a good personality. I’ve made too many mistakes. I’ve reached my limits.” Just like a virus can slow down a perfectly good computer, our wrong thinking can keep us from our destiny. If you’re going to live in victory, you’ve got to know how to hit the delete button.
 
When that thought comes that says, “You’re just average. You’re ordinary.” Hit delete and say, “I’m a masterpiece. I’m one of a kind.” When you hear, “You’ve seen your best days. It’s all downhill from here.” Hit delete and say, “My future will be brighter than my past.” If you will start hitting the delete button on those negative thoughts, your life will go to a new level, and you’ll experience the blessing and increase He has in store for you!
 
Prayer for Today:
Father, thank You for loving me and making me in Your image. Today I choose to hit the delete button on negative thinking. I declare what You say about me so I can walk and live the life that You have prepared for me in Jesus’ name. Amen