December 31, 2013

Treasure Hunter

Recently, there was an article that told how the wealthiest places on earth are not the oil fields of the Middle East nor the diamond mines of South Africa.

The wealthiest places are the cemeteries. Buried in the ground are businesses that were never formed, songs that were never sung, books that were never written, potential that was never realized, and dreams that never happened. Don’t let that be you! Don’t go to your grave with your treasure still in you. Keep growing. Keep learning. Step out in faith and trust God. Bring out the good treasure that God has placed inside you. Let’s go into 2014 as treasure hunters. Find the treasure inside of you and bring it out. Are you a treasure hunter?

December 30, 2013

Think About It

What you think about is what you will bring into your life.

We can either focus on our problems, or we can focus on our purpose. The question is: do you want more problems, or do you want more purpose? One thing I’ve noticed is that when you live with an attitude of constant gratitude, not only do you thank God for what He’s done in your life, you start thanking Him for what He will do in your life. You thank Him for opening doors for you in the future. You thank Him for increasing you. You thank Him for bringing the right people into your life. When we say “Thank You” to God for the things that are coming, it’s really a declaration of our faith in Him. It’s like saying in essence, “God, I’m so sure of Your goodness, I’m so sure that You’re working in my life that I’m going to thank You right now for what You are going to do tomorrow!” That’s the kind of faith that pleases God. He wants us to trust in His goodness. What are you thinking about in your life today?

December 29, 2013

The Right Place

Where have you pitched your tent today?

In other words, what are you expecting to happen in your life this upcoming year? What kind of attitude do you have? If your thoughts are stuck and you’re focusing on what’s wrong or what’s not working, then it’s time to dig up your tent stakes! It’s time to pack up your belongings and move out of the land of discouragement. It’s time to move out of the “Not-going-to-happen” subdivision and move out of “Can’t-do-it-ville.” It’s time to pack your bags and move into the land of hope, faith and expectation! Every time you catch a negative thought and choose to think on the truth, it’s like you are packing your bags. Every time you declare the truth, you are taking a step in the right direction. It’s time to get your mind right and set in the right direction. 2014 can be your best year ever, but you have to go into it with the right mindset. Get your thoughts and expectations on the right things, only focus on the truth. Nothing but the truth will get you were you want to go. Are you pitching your tent in the right place today?

December 28, 2013

Land of Love

Shame, blame, disrespect, betrayal, and the withholding of affection damage the roots from which love grows.

I am guilty of all of the above in my life. I have damaged relationships on all levels. You may have done the same things to people in your life too. Don’t let it stop you from loving. Whether you or on the damaged side or the damaging side you can’t stop loving. The damage can be repaired, it can be fixed. If you want to repair the damage that has been done; we have to start with forgiveness. Forgive yourself and others involved. Don’t hold back your forgiveness no matter what has been done. Forgive quickly and completely. Never hold what has been done against yourself or anyone else. We all have issues and insecurities that cause us to act in ways that hurt ourselves and others. Just because someone has hurt you doesn’t mean you have the right to hurt others, included the ones that hurt you. Everyone has been hurt and everyone has hurt someone. Hurt comes in life, but that doesn’t mean we have to be bitter, mad, and angry at others. Learn to forgive, learn to move past the hurt. Don’t pitch your tent in that place of hurt. Keep moving forward to the land of love. If you are in that hurting place today, then move out before this year ends. Life is far too short and long to stay there another moment. Are you ready to make life changing moves in your life today?

December 27, 2013

High Quality

What you think about determines the quality and direction of your life.

Naturally, people who think positive, uplifting thoughts have happier, healthier, longer lives. They are less stressed, more vibrant and enjoy better sleep. That’s why the scripture encourages us to think on good things — things that are true, noble and lovely. Some translations say to “fix your mind” on them. When you fix your mind on noble things, you close the door to the negative voices and open your heart to allow God to work in your life. Choose today to fix your mind on good things. Do whatever you need to in order to keep those good thoughts before you. Write them on note cards and put them in a place where you can see them. As you fix your mind on the goodness of God, you will do better in every area of your life. You will be filled with His peace and victory, and you’ll see every dream and desire in your heart come to pass. Are you thinking on good things today?

December 26, 2013

Load Up

This morning when you woke up, what was the first thing that went through your mind?

Maybe you have a deadline to meet or a to-do list a mile long. Maybe you are facing a challenge or going through a difficulty in a relationship that’s consuming your thoughts. Today, I want to encourage you, instead of focusing on what your circumstances have to offer, focus on what God has to offer you. His mercies are new every morning, and His compassion never fails. He has victory in store for you today. He has provision in store for you today. He has joy in store for you today, and He has peace in store for you today. He daily loads you with benefits! The key to “loading up” these daily benefits is setting your focus in the right direction. You can’t wait to see how you feel, what kind of mood your spouse is in, or what the traffic is like. No, you have to set your focus by saying, “This is going to be a great day. I am blessed and cannot be cursed! I know God is directing my steps and something good is going to happen to me today!” Are you ready for a great upcoming year?

December 25, 2013

Move to the Light

Merry Christmas to you!

Everyone goes through seasons of difficulty or times when things just seem dark. During these challenging times, know that you are not alone.

God has a plan to drive out the darkness — He will flood you with His light! That means suddenly, you will see God’s goodness. Suddenly, you’ll be promoted. Suddenly, the answer will come! If you’ve been going through a difficult time, get ready for the goodness of God in a new way. Know that His light is about to come bursting in! Get ready for breakthroughs. Get ready for promotion. Get ready for restoration. You may have had that problem for a long, long time, but today could be the day that it turns around. Suddenly, things can change! God wants His glory to be seen on you. He wants you to stand out in the crowd. He wants you to be so blessed that everyone around you can see His goodness on you! So keep standing, keep believing, keep hoping and keep declaring His Word because His light is going to come bursting in. Are you ready to see the light?

December 24, 2013

Stay Connected

It’s easy to look around at what’s happening in the earth today and be tempted to feel afraid.

Circumstances may seem overwhelming. Maybe your business is struggling, maybe you lost your job, maybe you’re struggling in a relationship or concerned about the economy. During times like these, it’s important to remember that God has promised that He will never leave us. In fact, not only is He with us, He has promised to strengthen us and harden us to difficulties. That means, when tough times come, they just bounce right off of you. You don’t allow your circumstances to steal your peace and joy. You have the attitude that says, “This may be a big problem, but my God is bigger!” Keep in mind that the enemy isn’t after your checkbook; he’s ultimately after your peace and joy. He knows that if he can get your joy, then he can get your strength. But when you stay connected to God. Are you staying connected today?

December 23, 2013

Freely Forgive

Have you ever tried to forgive someone and found you simply couldn’t do it?

You’ve cried about it, but those old feelings of resentment just failed to go away.Put an end to those kinds of failures in the future by basing your forgiveness on faith rather than feelings. True forgiveness doesn’t have anything at all to do with how you feel. It’s an act of the will.  That means once you’ve forgiven a person, you need to consider him permanently forgiven! When old feelings rise up within you and convince you that you haven’t forgiven, resist them immediately.  You’re to forgive as God forgives. To release that person from guilt permanently and unconditionally and to operate as if nothing bad ever happened between you. You’re to purposely forget as well as forgive. As you do that, something supernatural will happen within you. The pain once caused by that incident will disappear. The power of God will wash away the effects of it and you’ll be able to leave it behind you once and for all.Don’t become an emotional bookkeeper, keeping careful accounts of the wrongs you have suffered. Learn to forgive and forget. It will open a whole new world of blessing for you. Have you freely forgiven today?

December 22, 2013

Past Your Past

Life is about so much more than moving issue to issue. That lifestyle will leave you with no hope.

I heard somebody say, “Don’t let your heredity stop your destiny.” Don’t let the way somebody treated you, or what they did or didn’t give you keep you from pressing forward and becoming all that God has created you to be. The people who raised you may have had addictions, but that doesn’t have to be your future. You can be the one to break that negative cycle. Your parents may have had anger issues or never amounted to much, but you don’t have to keep letting that curse be passed from generation to generation. You can be the one to say, “No more. This is a new day! I may have had an unfair past, but I’m not going to have an unfair future. I know that God put a blessing on me before anybody could put a curse, and I’m not going to let my heredity stop my destiny.” Today, know that God is for you. When you choose to put Him first place in your life, then nothing can stop your destiny! Seek Him with a humble heart and break free from the bondages of the past. Are you moving past your past and toward your destiny today?