What is Taking Root?

By Joel Osteen – Posted August 1, 2017

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE:

"He answered, He Who sows the good seed is the Son of Man."
(Matthew 13:37, AMP)

TODAY'S WORD:

God is constantly trying to plant new seeds of victory on the inside of you. He’s trying to increase you. He’s trying to enlarge your vision. He wants to take you to new levels of victory. But before you see a harvest, the seed has to take root. You have to conceive it before you are going to receive it. In other words, before you’re ever going to be successful, you’ve got to see yourself successful. Before you’re ever going to have your dreams come to pass, you’ve got to look out through your eyes of faith and see them coming to pass. That’s how you allow the seed to take root. 

Today, I encourage you to examine your thought life. What are you allowing to take root? Are God’s seeds of victory and life growing in your heart and mind, or are you nurturing seeds of defeat and despair? The good news is that you can change your thoughts right now, this very moment. Begin to dwell on God’s promises and His goodness. Let His good seeds take root in your mind and heart. It won’t be long before you’ll see that harvest of blessing come forth in every area of your life!

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Father God, today I surrender every area of mind, will and emotions to You. I choose to dwell on Your goodness and faithfulness so that the good seeds You’ve planted in my life will take root. Keep me close to You and direct my steps down the good path You have prepared for me in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Transformation

by Joyce Meyer - posted August 01, 2017

So that they [even] kept carrying out the sick into the streets and placing them on couches and sleeping pads, [in the hope] that as Peter passed by, at least his shadow might fall on some of them. And the people gathered also from the towns and hamlets around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those troubled with foul spirits, and they were all cured. 
- Acts 5:15–16

Peter was a man with a past. He was bold and not afraid of change, but he also had many faults. In Matthew 16:22–23, we see Peter trying to correct Jesus. In Matthew 26:31–35, we see that Peter thought more highly of himself than he should have. In Matthew 26:69–75, it is recorded that Peter denied even knowing Jesus.

Once Peter realized the depth of his sin, he wept bitterly, which showed that he had a repentant heart (v. 75). God is merciful and understands our weaknesses. In John 21, we see Jesus lovingly restore Peter. Peter had been included in God's plans for the future even though he had a past record of foolishness and failure. Peter had denied Christ, and yet he became one of the best-known apostles. Peter could have spent his entire life feeling bad about his denial of Jesus, but he pressed past that failure and became valuable to God's kingdom.

Lord, You are a God of transformation. Help me to press past my failures and become a valuable servant of Yours today. Thank You for including me in Your plans for the future. Amen.

GOD JUSTIFIES THE UNGODLY

By Joseph Prince – Posted August 1, 2017

Romans 4:5

But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness,

Boldness is what God wants you to have when you come to Him. He does not want you to be afraid to come to Him, feeling unworthy because of your sins. He wants you to come boldly to Him, knowing that the death, burial and resurrection of His Son Jesus Christ has justified you and qualified you to boldly receive from Him.

This was the kind of boldness that the woman with the issue of blood had when she touched Jesus. (Mark 5:25–34) Now, by touching Jesus, she knew that she was breaking a Levitical law which states that anyone with a bodily discharge is unclean, and should not appear in public, let alone touch another person. (Leviticus 15)

But she refused to feel condemned by the law. She believed what she had heard about Jesus, and was confident that there would only be love and compassion, not condemnation, from Him. She believed that Jesus would justify her and qualify her to receive the miracle she needed. That was why she boldly pressed her way into the crowd to touch Jesus, who indeed said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well.” (Mark 5:34)

What was it about her faith that made her well? Romans 4:5 talks about faith that believes God justifies the ungodly. When you believe that God justifies the ungodly, it will give you boldness to come to God, even when you feel unclean because you have just blown it.

When you fail, don’t run away from God. Run boldly to Him, knowing that you are justified by the blood of Christ and not by your good behavior.

The devil may say to you, “How can you do that? Who do you think you are?” Don’t listen to him. Pick yourself up and thank God for the blood and the gift of no condemnation. (Romans 8:1) If God justifies the ungodly, how much more you, His beloved child!

Thought For The Day

You are justified by the blood of Christ and not by your good behavior.

The Weight of the World

By DR. David Jeremiah – Posted August 1, 2017

The LORD is my light and salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
Psalm 27:1

Recommended Reading: Psalm 27

When it comes to lifting weights, there is a tremendous gap between professionals and beginners. Professionals have trained and know how to lift heavy weights without injuring themselves, while beginners are prone to injury.

When David faced unceasing persecution from King Saul, the weight of his circumstances and responsibilities crushed his soul. Fear and depression began to dictate his reality and choices. He fled to the land of the Philistines for safety and lived deceitfully under the rule of King Achish.

When it comes to difficulty, we will always be beginners. Certain situations use up all the strength we have: emotional, physical, and even spiritual strength. When we feel the weight of the world on our shoulders, we can carry it on our own or we can look to God. Our burdens are light to Him. As we meditate on His promises amidst the storms of life, and listen for His guidance, He will remind us that this situation is not the end of our story. He is the God of possibilities and hope. We have a future.

Your emptiness is but the preparation for your being filled, and your casting down is but the making ready for your lifting up.
Charles H. Spurgeon