RISE HIGHER
He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm. Proverbs 13:20 (NIV)
Sometimes in order to embrace the destiny God has in store for you, you have to be willing to make some difficult changes in your life. You have to be willing to examine where you are, where God is taking you to and what you need to do in order to move forward. This may mean that you need to change some friends you are spending time with.
Maybe they were fine for a season in your life, but you have 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 friendships with people who are going to pull you up and inspire you to rise higher. If you used to hang around people who spoke negatively, profanely or cursed at every given opportunity before you became a Christian, your new state should compel you not to dwell in that kind of company again.
If you are the smartest one in your group, it probably means your group is too small. Find people who are smarter than you, people who will challenge you to stretch to the next level. Remember, he who walks with the wise becomes wise. Choose your friends wisely so that you can rise higher and walk in the destiny God has for you.
Prayer
Father God, I thank You for Your grace and mercy. Thank You for the good plan You have for my life. Help me choose my friends and companions wisely so that I can continue to move forward in my divine purpose. I am grateful for where you are taking me to in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Reference: Proverbs 27:17; Matthew 7:6
Monday, 24 October 2011
Thursday, 20 October 2011
FOUNTAIN OF LIFE!
GIVE YOUR FAITH A TARGET
Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see. Hebrews 11:1 (NLT)
So many people today are either depressed, brokenhearted or discouraged because they only focus on their present circumstances. They are constantly dwelling on their problems, what they don’t have, and what is wrong with them. They don’t realize it, but they are only allowing the enemy to steal their hope.
A negative frame of mind is what keeps people from moving forward in life of abundance Jesus won for us by His death on the cross. Understand today that faith is confidence and assurance about the things we hope for according to the promises of God. Like an arrow, your faith points to the target of hope. If you don’t have hope, that arrow of faith has nothing to aim for. It won’t accomplish anything. But when you keep your hopes up, when you keep expecting and believing, it’s like making that target larger and larger and easier to hit! God’s Word of promise therefore becomes your target!
Choose today to live with an attitude of expectancy. Don’t focus on your circumstances; focus on your God! Get your hopes up! Take captive every negative thought. As you focus on God’s goodness and faithfulness, you will feel that hope inside of you growing. Give your faith a target and move forward confidently in the direction of your dreams!
Prayer
Father in heaven, today I surrender every thought to You. I choose to release my cares and concerns so I can focus on Your goodness. Thank You for the gift of faith to see the impossible become possible as I continue to place my hope and confidence in You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Reference: Romans 8:24-25; 2 Corinthians 4:18; 2 Corinthians 5:7
Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see. Hebrews 11:1 (NLT)
So many people today are either depressed, brokenhearted or discouraged because they only focus on their present circumstances. They are constantly dwelling on their problems, what they don’t have, and what is wrong with them. They don’t realize it, but they are only allowing the enemy to steal their hope.
A negative frame of mind is what keeps people from moving forward in life of abundance Jesus won for us by His death on the cross. Understand today that faith is confidence and assurance about the things we hope for according to the promises of God. Like an arrow, your faith points to the target of hope. If you don’t have hope, that arrow of faith has nothing to aim for. It won’t accomplish anything. But when you keep your hopes up, when you keep expecting and believing, it’s like making that target larger and larger and easier to hit! God’s Word of promise therefore becomes your target!
Choose today to live with an attitude of expectancy. Don’t focus on your circumstances; focus on your God! Get your hopes up! Take captive every negative thought. As you focus on God’s goodness and faithfulness, you will feel that hope inside of you growing. Give your faith a target and move forward confidently in the direction of your dreams!
Prayer
Father in heaven, today I surrender every thought to You. I choose to release my cares and concerns so I can focus on Your goodness. Thank You for the gift of faith to see the impossible become possible as I continue to place my hope and confidence in You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Reference: Romans 8:24-25; 2 Corinthians 4:18; 2 Corinthians 5:7
Monday, 17 October 2011
FOUNTAIN OF LIFE!
USE YOUR WORDS TO GIVE LIFE
The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters... Proverbs 18:4 (NIV)
All over the world, there are people who are lonely, people who are hurting, those who have been through disappointments; they have suffered heartache and pain. As believers, God has given us something to offer them. We have life-giving, refreshing water in us.
With our words, we can bring healing. With our words, we can lift them out of depression. With our words, we can tell them, “You are beautiful. You are amazing. You are talented. God has a bright future in front of you.” Those life-giving words will break the chains of depression. They will break the chains of low self-esteem. You can help set people free from the strongholds that are keeping them back. You may not know all that is happening, but God can take one compliment, one encouraging word, and use that to begin the healing process and set that person on a brand new course. And when you help break the chains off of others, any chains that you might have will be broken off, too!
Today, choose to speak encouragement. Choose to speak life. Tell others what they can become, give compliments, and live life as a healer. Pour out that life-giving water with your words and watch it come back to you in abundance!
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I thank You for allowing Your healing waters to flow through me by your precious Son, Jesus. Today, I pour out life onto others and refresh them with life-giving words. Direct my words, order my steps, and let everything I do glorify You. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Reference: Psalm 78:2; Proverbs 10:11; Proverbs 20:5
The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters... Proverbs 18:4 (NIV)
All over the world, there are people who are lonely, people who are hurting, those who have been through disappointments; they have suffered heartache and pain. As believers, God has given us something to offer them. We have life-giving, refreshing water in us.
With our words, we can bring healing. With our words, we can lift them out of depression. With our words, we can tell them, “You are beautiful. You are amazing. You are talented. God has a bright future in front of you.” Those life-giving words will break the chains of depression. They will break the chains of low self-esteem. You can help set people free from the strongholds that are keeping them back. You may not know all that is happening, but God can take one compliment, one encouraging word, and use that to begin the healing process and set that person on a brand new course. And when you help break the chains off of others, any chains that you might have will be broken off, too!
Today, choose to speak encouragement. Choose to speak life. Tell others what they can become, give compliments, and live life as a healer. Pour out that life-giving water with your words and watch it come back to you in abundance!
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I thank You for allowing Your healing waters to flow through me by your precious Son, Jesus. Today, I pour out life onto others and refresh them with life-giving words. Direct my words, order my steps, and let everything I do glorify You. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Reference: Psalm 78:2; Proverbs 10:11; Proverbs 20:5
Wednesday, 12 October 2011
FOUNTAIN OF LIFE!
DON'T DOWNPLAY YOUR BLESSING
For this I will give you thanks and extol You, O Lord, among the nations; I will sing praises to Your name. 2 Samuel 22:50 (AMP)
In this life, anytime you begin to succeed and walk in the full blessing of God, people are surely going to criticize. People will judge you. Others will be jealous. But you know what? That is their problem. Don’t apologize for what God is doing in your life. In all humility, show forth His praise and celebrate His goodness in your life.
When you make excuses for God’s goodness, when you downplay His blessings and favor or call it luck or coincidence, really, that’s an insult to our God. The scripture says in Deuteronomy that “It is the Lord that gives you the power to get wealth.” That means God is the One giving you the ideas. He’s the One that’s giving you the creativity. He’s giving you the strength to succeed. He gave you the favor. He strategically linked you to someone who will favor you. As long as you stay humble and give Him all the credit, you have nothing to apologize for.
Our job as believers is to make Him known. We should be examples of His goodness, peace, hope, joy and life. Today, don’t shrink back from giving God all the credit. Don’t downplay your blessing. Thank Him and praise Him for what He’s doing in your life now and what He will do in your future. Make Him known and give Him all the glory!
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I thank You for Your hand of blessing upon my life. I give You all the glory, honor and praise because I know that every good and perfect gift is from You. I open my heart and mind to receive what You have in store for me today in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Reference: Deuteronomy 8:18; 2 Samuel 8:1-14; Romans 15:9
For this I will give you thanks and extol You, O Lord, among the nations; I will sing praises to Your name. 2 Samuel 22:50 (AMP)
In this life, anytime you begin to succeed and walk in the full blessing of God, people are surely going to criticize. People will judge you. Others will be jealous. But you know what? That is their problem. Don’t apologize for what God is doing in your life. In all humility, show forth His praise and celebrate His goodness in your life.
When you make excuses for God’s goodness, when you downplay His blessings and favor or call it luck or coincidence, really, that’s an insult to our God. The scripture says in Deuteronomy that “It is the Lord that gives you the power to get wealth.” That means God is the One giving you the ideas. He’s the One that’s giving you the creativity. He’s giving you the strength to succeed. He gave you the favor. He strategically linked you to someone who will favor you. As long as you stay humble and give Him all the credit, you have nothing to apologize for.
Our job as believers is to make Him known. We should be examples of His goodness, peace, hope, joy and life. Today, don’t shrink back from giving God all the credit. Don’t downplay your blessing. Thank Him and praise Him for what He’s doing in your life now and what He will do in your future. Make Him known and give Him all the glory!
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I thank You for Your hand of blessing upon my life. I give You all the glory, honor and praise because I know that every good and perfect gift is from You. I open my heart and mind to receive what You have in store for me today in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Reference: Deuteronomy 8:18; 2 Samuel 8:1-14; Romans 15:9
Friday, 7 October 2011
FOUNTAIN OF LIFE!
THIS ONE THING
...I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead. Philippians 3:13 (NLT)
Take this: if you will let go of the past, you will have enough room to embrace the good things stored up in your future. You only need to be determined to forget the past. I know many people don’t fully understand what means to forget the past. They wonder, “How can I forget something that has happened to me?”
But one definition of the word forget is to disregard intentionally or to consciously overlook. In other words, you have to choose to disregard your past so that it doesn’t hold you back or determine the outcome of your future. That includes both the good and the bad past. Sometimes our past victories keep us from rising higher as much as our past failures can. If we don’t let go of the old, we will never be able to embrace the new. Turn the good old days into the better today and the best tomorrow!
It doesn’t matter what happened in your past, it’s time to forget what lies behind and make the choice to look forward. Trust that God has a better future in store for you. Trust that He’s working behind the scenes on your behalf. Trust that He who has promised you is faithful. As you forget what lies behind and press forward, you’ll experience His power and blessing in a fresh, new better way.
Prayer
Father in heaven, I choose to forget the past today. I don’t want anything from it to hold me back from the great future You have prepared for me. I choose forgiveness and ask that You help me, by Your Spirit, to press forward in every area of my life. In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen.
Reference: 1 Corinthians 9:24, 26; 2 Corinthians 5:16; Hebrews 6:1
...I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead. Philippians 3:13 (NLT)
Take this: if you will let go of the past, you will have enough room to embrace the good things stored up in your future. You only need to be determined to forget the past. I know many people don’t fully understand what means to forget the past. They wonder, “How can I forget something that has happened to me?”
But one definition of the word forget is to disregard intentionally or to consciously overlook. In other words, you have to choose to disregard your past so that it doesn’t hold you back or determine the outcome of your future. That includes both the good and the bad past. Sometimes our past victories keep us from rising higher as much as our past failures can. If we don’t let go of the old, we will never be able to embrace the new. Turn the good old days into the better today and the best tomorrow!
It doesn’t matter what happened in your past, it’s time to forget what lies behind and make the choice to look forward. Trust that God has a better future in store for you. Trust that He’s working behind the scenes on your behalf. Trust that He who has promised you is faithful. As you forget what lies behind and press forward, you’ll experience His power and blessing in a fresh, new better way.
Prayer
Father in heaven, I choose to forget the past today. I don’t want anything from it to hold me back from the great future You have prepared for me. I choose forgiveness and ask that You help me, by Your Spirit, to press forward in every area of my life. In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen.
Reference: 1 Corinthians 9:24, 26; 2 Corinthians 5:16; Hebrews 6:1
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