Monthly Archives: June 2013
June 12, 2013
Offense
If you harbor thoughts about being offended, then your eyes are on the look for offense.
Every day, we have opportunities to get upset, be frustrated, or get offended. Maybe you had plans that didn’t work out, or someone was rude to you at the office. Maybe you were doing something that should have taken one hour and it ended up taking three. Life is full of inconveniences, but even though we can’t always control our circumstances, we can control our reaction. I heard somebody say, “Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you respond.” We should always go out each day with a positive attitude, full of hope. But at the same time, we should recognize that most days are not going to go exactly as we plan. Remember, we were created to live in peace. Peace is our position of power. If you get stressed because you got off schedule or upset because your child wouldn’t eat his breakfast, or frustrated because somebody offended you, what you’re doing is giving away your power. Instead, make the decision to release those offenses and disappointments so you can live in peace and enjoy the day as the blessing God prepared for you. Are you living offended or free?
June 11, 2013
Thought Life
You first must not let the weeds of negative thoughts take hold and strangle your vision.
Many people today don’t realize that the reason they’re not happy, the reason they’re not enjoying life is simply because they’ve trained their minds in the wrong direction. They’ve programmed their minds to worry. They’ve programmed their minds to complain. They’ve programmed their minds to see the negative. But just as we can train our mind to focus on the negative, we can also reprogram our minds to focus on the positive. It all depends on what you meditate on. When we meditate on positive, truthful thoughts we reprogram our minds. When we meditate on God’s goodness, we are developing a right mindset. When we choose to be grateful and focus on what’s right rather than what’s wrong, we are choosing a positive attitude. This doesn’t happen automatically; you have to discipline yourself to focus on the right things. You have to make a conscious effort to spend time in the Word of God every single day until a habit is formed. I believe that as you honor God with your time, He’ll multiply it back to you. As you stay faithful and focused on Him, He will direct your steps, and you will embrace the blessing and victory He has in store for you. Are you thinking positive thoughts today?
June 10, 2013
Correcting Our Vision
Take off all that is not part of your vision and all that is slowing you down, and then your vision will find you.
Are you facing challenges today or feeling overwhelmed by your circumstances? Perhaps what you see on the outside doesn’t match what God has placed on the inside of you. The key is: don’t sit around in self-pity, depressed or discouraged. Go out and find someplace you can dream and connect with God. Go to the park and watch the sunset. Look up at the stars and think about His goodness. Take a break from the environment that seems to be holding you back. Find a place that inspires you, a place where you can meditate on His Word and let your faith be elevated. Stay in a good church where people are going to build you up and not tear you down; a place where people are going to challenge you to rise higher and become all that God has created you to be. I know people who get home from work every night and watch the same depressing TV shows week after week. Don’t let that be you! If you’re going to enlarge your vision, you’ve got to get out of a limited environment. Put yourself in an atmosphere of victory and success and move forward in the good things God has prepared for you. Are you correcting your vision today?
June 9, 2013
Control
If you understand this you will know peace.
Some things are within the power of Are you struggling with trying to make a dream come true? Are you frustrated in a relationship, trying to make someone else change or live out their destiny? You may mean well, you may have good goals, but if you are trying to orchestrate things to happen your way, on your timetable, you are only going to frustrate yourself. At some point, you have to turn those circumstances over to God and trust that He has your best interest at heart. How do you turn things over to God? Start by making the choice and declaring your resolve. Simply say, “God, I choose to let You be God of this situation. I take my hands off. I trust You.” Today, take the pressure off yourself and turn things over to God. Give Him control and let Him take your setbacks and turn them into comebacks. Remember, the God who holds the universe holds you in the palm of His hand. Trust Him and let God be God in every area of your life! Are you trusting God with the things you can’t control?
June 8, 2013
Changing
People need to change to grow, and can overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles in order to live their lives to the fullest.
Change is one of the most difficult things for people to face; however, change is inevitable. In fact, Mark Twain once said, “The only person who likes change is a wet baby.” One reason people don’t like change is because they get comfortable with where they are in life. They get used to their friends, job or the place they live. And even if it’s not perfect, they accept it simply because it’s familiar. However, when we are not willing to change, we get stuck in life holding on to what God did in the past instead of growing and moving forward into what God wants to do in the future. Today, I encourage you to be open to the new things God has in store for you. Always remember that just because God has blessed you where you are doesn’t mean you can just sit back and settle there. God wants to do something new in you and through you. He wants to see you grow, prosper and flourish. Get ready and keep your heart focused on Him. Embrace change and see the blessing God has in store for you! Are you changing and growing today?
June 7, 2013
Favor
God’s love is the foundation of hope, the essence of living fully alive.
God loves you and He is for you! He is for your good; He is for your success; He is for your future. He desires for you to have every blessing and every promise declared in His Word. This is what the Bible calls His favor. At some point in our lives, even if we didn’t recognize it, we have all experienced God’s favor. It is simply His undeserved, unearned, unexplainable goodness in your life. God’s favor causes you to reap where you haven’t sown. His favor protects you, promotes you and opens new doors. His favor takes you places you could never go on your own. Today, I speak over your life that in the coming days and weeks ahead, God is going to unleash His unprecedented favor on you — favor like you’ve never seen before! The key is to stay connected to Him, stay in fellowship with Him through prayer, worship and reading His Word. Let Him direct your steps and mold and shape your character. As you pour yourself out to Him, He will pour out Himself on you! He’ll pour out His grace, mercy and supernatural, undeserved, unearned, unexplainable favor on every area of your life! Are you ready to walk in what God has planned for you?
June 6, 2013
Guilt
Living in guilt leads to discouragement and hopelessness.
When you live with guilt in your life you will never be able to be happy. Guilt is like a weight tied around your neck. You will never be able to enjoy the life that God has given you. You will never be able to walk in your purpose or destiny if you hold on to guilt. Know this, guilt doesn’t hold on to you, you hold on to it. Let it go. Get your healing and be free from guilt. You have done wrong things; I have done wrong things, but there is no reason for us to carry around guilt. Let it go today. You may be guilty of doing this or that, but receive your forgiveness and put aside that weight of guilt. When you let the guilt go, you take hope and encouragement in it’s place. Walk in hope, forgiveness, love and peace today. Be free of the joy robbing guilt. Are you free of guilt today?
June 5, 2013
Shame
We could empty half the psychiatric wards in this country if we could eliminate shame.
It has documented that the effects of shame on the body and the mind are devastating. Shame is saying that because you did something bad or wrong; that you are a bad person. Shame cripples the mind. Shame will keep you trapped in a miserable world. Shame will drag you down, tear you down, and leave you for dead. Shame doesn’t want you to make changes in your life. Shame wants to lead you to depression. Shame wants you to hate yourself. Shame will lead you to despise who you are. Shame will attach itself to a wounded soul. The way to rid yourself of shame is to be healed. When you expose the shame you are infected with to the truth; you can be healed emotionally. You don’t have to let shame to control your life. Free your mind and body today of shame. Knowing the truth will rid you of shame today and forever. Are you battling shame today?
June 4, 2013
Failure and Pain
Failure and pain are the entry fee for trying, the foundation for learning, the price–and proof–of living fully alive.
Some people only learn from failure and pain. These two aspects of life can be excellence teachers, but the key is for you to be an excellence student. Learn from them, but don’t stay with them. If you are trying to live a life of purpose then you will experience failure and pain. They are what qualify you for your destiny. Don’t let the failure and pain you experience cause you to stop learning and growing. Stay the course. Fight the good fight of faith. Never allow the negative aspects of failure and pain to prevent you from your best day ever. To be fully alive you will have to go through these areas. The key is don’t stay there. Get what you need to get a move forward. Are you learning, growing and moving forward from what you have learned from failure and pain?
June 3, 2013
Next Step
Most of life’s failures happen because people gave up when they were closer to success than they realized.
When asked what is the one of the major things I can tell people; I will sometimes say; “Never give up.” Too often I see people going through a tough time and just before they were about to breakout; they give up. Giving up is never the answer. Never give up on yourself. Just when you think you can’t take another step, another second, another day; take the next step and the next and so on. Don’t ever give in to the voices that are telling you that it’s too tough, too hard, never going to happen for you. There is always hope. As long as you have breath in your body, you have hope. It’s easy to give up and each time you do, it gets easier and easier. When you have worked long and hard for something it’s hard to give up. So keep working your process. Make the necessary changes and move forward. Never, never, never, never give up. Are you close to your breakout today?