Embracing Change

By Joel Osteen – Posted April 11, 2017

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE:

See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland
Isaiah 43:19, NIV

TODAY'S WORD:

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!

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Father God, I humbly come before You and thank You for all You’ve done in my life and all You will do in my future. I submit myself to You and choose to embrace change knowing that You always have good things in store in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Overcome Evil with Good

By Joyce Meyer - Posted April 11, 2017

Do not let yourself be overcome by evil, but overcome (master) evil with good.
—Romans 12:21

We must not use our personal problems as an excuse to be grouchy and unloving with other people. Always remember that we overcome evil with good. This is why it is so important that we trust God, and while we are waiting on a change in our circumstances, we should remember to do good, do good, and do good! 

In the Bible, the apostle Paul shares how even in times when he was suffering, he believed that God would take care of those things that he entrusted to Him (see 2 Timothy 1:12-14). We can be grateful that, like Paul, we are called to give our problems to God and refuse to worry. 

A simple formula for victory is trust God, don’t worry, do good, and keep meditating on and confessing God’s Word, because God’s Word is the weapon we have been given by which we can overcome evil and do good. 

Prayer of Thanks: Thank You, Father, that no matter what I may be going through, You give me opportunities to do good for those around me. I don’t have to focus on myself; I can choose to help others. Let me be an encouragement and a blessing to someone today.

HOW YOU KNOW YOU WILL INHERIT IT

By Joseph Prince – Posted April 11, 2017

Psalm 89:34

My Covenant I will not break, nor alter the word that has gone out of My lips.

When God promises you something, do you take Him at His Word? Or do you, like Abraham, ask, “Lord God, how shall I know that I will inherit it?” (Genesis 15:8)

God did not reprimand Abraham for failing to take Him at His Word. That is how gracious God is to His people. He even came down to Abraham’s level of faith and did something to assure Abraham that He would always keep His promises—He made a covenant with Abraham. (Genesis 15:9–17)

God did not do it for His own benefit. God is a God of His Word. He does not break His Word. But He bound Himself to a covenant because He knew that Abraham needed to know in his heart that God would do whatever He had promised him.

Man finds it hard to just believe words. For example, when you buy a house, a contract is drawn up and signed by both parties, and lawyers are involved. You need a contract because you cannot trust the other person’s words and he cannot trust yours either.

Likewise, we find it hard to take God at His Word. So God made a covenant with us, not because He cannot be trusted, but because He knows that we find it hard to just believe what He says. God knows that man will wonder, “What if God wakes up on the wrong side of His bed tomorrow and decides to fry me instead of bless me?”

But because God has made a new covenant with us, which is established by the blood of His Son, we can, like Abraham, not waver through unbelief regarding the promises of God, but be strengthened in our faith, being fully persuaded that God will do as He has promised. (Romans 4:20–21) We have the assurance that God will not wake up one day and say, “Forget the new covenant. I want to remember your sins now and curse you instead of bless you!”

My friend, the new covenant blessings for you are guaranteed because God has bound Himself to the covenant. And He is a covenant-keeping God who is willing and more than able to do everything He has promised you!

Thought For The Day

Because God has made a new covenant with us, established by the blood of His Son, we can be fully persuaded that He will do as He has promised.

The “I” in Child

By DR. David Jeremiah – Posted April 11, 2017

Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 18:4

Recommended Reading: Matthew 18:1-4

On October 22, 1906, revival came to Amy Carmichael’s children’s home in Dohnavur, India. During a service with the children, Amy was compelled to stop speaking, overwhelmed by a sense of God’s presence. She recalled, “Soon the whole upper half of the church was on its face on the floor crying to God, each boy and girl, man and woman, oblivious of all others. The sound was like the sound of waves or strong wind in the trees.” Non-Christians rushed to look through the windows, but all they saw were praying Christians. The prayer meeting lasted four hours although it seemed like four minutes to the participants. Almost all the children were converted. Backsliders were restored, and Christians were quickened with newness of life.¹

Revival can start in many places, even in a children’s meeting. In fact, children have often played vital roles in revival. Revival never occurs unless we come to Christ with the humility of a little child and ask for His grace and mercy.

There’s an “I” in the center of revival, and there’s an “I” in the center of child. Let’s all be in the center of God’s power and presence.

For all this we do praise God…We have seen just enough to make us very hungry to see more.
Amy Carmichael

  

When to Turn Away

By Joel Osteen – Posted April 10, 2017

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE:

Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word.
Psalm 119:37, NIV

TODAY'S WORD:

In order to live the life of victory God has promised, you have to be very selective about what you give your time and attention to. You have to recognize which thoughts to ignore, which comments to ignore, and sometimes, which people to ignore. Every “battle” that comes across your path is not a battle that you’re supposed to fight. Many battles are simply distractions to try to lure you off course. If that battle is not between you and your God-given destiny, it’s a battle you should ignore. 

Many people get thrown off course because they are always trying to straighten everyone else out or win their approval. But if that’s your focus, you are wasting valuable time and energy that you should be using to pursue your dreams. Turn away from that distraction! You don’t need the approval of everyone around you; you only need God’s approval! 

Friend, it’s very freeing when you realize you don’t have to fight every battle. You don’t have to straighten people out. You don’t have to pay somebody back. Instead, focus on what matters, focus on God and His Word so you can live in peace and happiness every day of your life!

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Father, thank You for ordering my steps. Thank You for planning good things for me. Help me to discern the things I should ignore. Help me to avoid distractions as I focus my heart and mind on You today in Jesus’ name. Amen.

ALL THAT JESUS IS BEFORE GOD, YOU ARE

By Joseph Prince – Posted April 10, 2017

2 Corinthians 5:21

For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

When an Israelite brings an animal as his sin offering, he lays his hand on it before killing it. (Leviticus 4:1–4) By laying his hand on the sin offering, his sins are transferred to the innocent animal. The animal dies for his sins and he goes free.

In contrast, during the burnt offering, when the Israelite lays his hand on the animal (Leviticus 1:3–4), the beauty, worthiness and acceptance of the unblemished animal are transferred to him. God accepts the perfection of the animal sacrifice on his behalf to make atonement for him. Because God accepts the unblemished burnt offering, the offerer now has right standing before God.

Do you know that the two offerings speak of Jesus’ one offering of Himself when He hung on the cross? He is both our sin offering and burnt offering—“For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us [as our sin offering], that we might become the righteousness of God in Him [as our burnt offering]”. The moment you put your faith in Him, just by His one sacrifice, your sins were transferred to Him, and His righteousness was transferred to you. That is the grace of God toward you!

As our sin offering, He offered Himself once and for all. (Romans 6:10) The sin offering was never a daily offering because God does not want His people to be sin-conscious.

However, the burnt offering was both a morning and evening sacrifice (2 Chronicles 13:11) because God wants His people to be righteousness-conscious.

Beloved, God wants you to lay claim daily to Jesus as your burnt offering and say, “Father, I thank You that Jesus is my burnt offering. All that Jesus is before You—His righteousness, excellence, beauty and perfection—has been transferred to me. Jesus has Your unclouded favor, so I enjoy Your unclouded favor in my life. Jesus is the righteousness of God, so I am the righteousness of God in Christ. As He is before You, so am I.”

Because Jesus became your burnt offering, what He is to the Father today, you are! That is what it means to be in Christ.

Thought For The Day

All that Jesus is before the Father—His righteousness, beauty and perfection—has been transferred to you.