Something Greater Ahead

“Forget what happened before, and do not think about the past. Look at the new thing I am going to do. It is already happening.”– Isaiah 43:18-19 (NCV)

Whatever challenges or setbacks you have faced this year, be resilient enough to let go and move forward.

Regardless of your past experiences, don’t lower your future expectations. Always have something greater to look forward to. There is so much more God has in store.

See every year as a new chapter in your life. Don’t allow yourself to keep repeating yesterday’s mistakes and failures. Refuse to live backwards; move forward. Your best days are before you!

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The Gift of Family and Friends

“Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God.”– Philippians 1:3 (NLT)

Life is all about relationships. Unless you live in a cave somewhere and completely isolate yourself from people, every facet of your life touches a relationship in some way.

Just like God created us to have a relationship with Him, He also created us to be in relationship with others. His love is perfected in us as we become more “others-minded.”

This Christmas, let’s be reminded that the best gifts of life do not consist of things, but of people. May we become more intentional about appreciating and valuing the gift of family and friends.

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The People You Choose

“The righteous choose their friends carefully, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.” – Proverbs 12:26 (NIV)

There comes a point in all of our lives where we have to evaluate the people we choose to surround ourselves with. Most people, when it comes to choosing relationships, make decisions out of fear rather than out of growth.

Not surrounding yourself with the right people can hinder your growth in every way. Your faith and passion for life are ignited when you are with people who celebrate you instead of tolerate you. The right people will also challenge you to grow and blossom into the best version of yourself.

Becoming the person you were meant to be is going to require some necessary sacrifices, which include the choices you make in relationships. Although you cannot change the people around you, the good news is you can change the people you choose to be around.

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Made for Relationships

“If you fall, your friend can help you up. But if you fall without having a friend nearby, you are really in trouble.” – Ecclesiastes 4:10 (CEV)

We are made for relationships—with family, friends, and loved ones. The Bible says it’s not good for man to be alone (Genesis 2:18). Without relationships, we are missing the main component for a happy and successful life.

Relationships are gifts from God that can give beauty, meaning, and purpose. Since blessings often flow through people, to isolate yourself from divine relationships can limit your growth and potential.

My prayer for you today is that you would recognize and embrace the gifts God intended to bless your life. And may your life become enriched by those who are heaven-sent.

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Beyond Your Ability

“He must increase, but I must decrease.” – John 3:30

Have you ever sensed that God was calling you to do something you knew you didn’t have the ability or resources to do? Perhaps you have found yourself in a situation that seems too impossible for you.

There have been times in my life where I was afraid to ask God what He wanted me to do, because I knew I wouldn’t be able to fulfill it. And that is the exact place God wants us to be. God is most glorified in our lives when are the most dependent on Him.

There’s no way we can live within our own natural ability and expect to receive all God has for us. To experience the supernatural, we must be willing to stretch beyond ourselves. This is the life God has called us to live—a life in total dependence on Him.

So if you’re facing a situation today that seems beyond your ability to handle it, then you are in the right place for a miracle to take place. God wants to be glorified in your life as you receive His strength and live in His grace.

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Count Your Blessings

“Let all that I am praise the LORD; may I never forget the good things he does for me.” – Psalm 103:2 (NLT)

Too many people never realize how blessed they are because they spend so much mental energy focusing on what they don’t have. Instead of counting their own blessings, they are counting someone else’s blessings.

Gratitude is the best gift you can give yourself because when you are more thankful, you are more conscious and aware of the blessings God has already given you. As a result, you open up the pipeline for more blessings to flow in your life.

There are so many things to be grateful for—life, health, family. Everything may not be perfect, but not everything is terrible. I challenge you this week to take time to focus on God’s goodness and count all of His many blessings in your life.

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Why Rejoice?

“Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice!” – Philippians 4:4

Paul doesn’t just say it once, but twice—REJOICE! 

To rejoice is a command given throughout the Bible. This is not a command to ignore the realities we face, but to see God at work in the midst of them.

Joy is the base word of rejoice. The challenge, therefore, is to find joy in the midst of what we are going through. Joy is that sense of well-being that abides deep down in the heart of the person who knows all is well and God is working behind the scenes.

So rather than focusing on how bad the problem is, find something good to rejoice about. Rejoice knowing that all is well! 

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This Too Shall Pass

“For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long.” – 2 Corinthians 4:17 (NLT)

Have you allowed your circumstances to convince you that God has turned His back on you? Be assured that He has never left your side, and He never will.

God never leaves us to fend for ourselves in difficult times. He promises to be with us in all that we face. Allow His amazing love to encompass all of your pain. Expect His peace to surround you and His grace to empower you to keep pressing through.

In the midst of what you are facing right now, do not become overwhelmed or yield to the temptation to give up. Always keep in mind that all trials have an expiration date. Just like the last test you faced and overcame, this too shall pass!

So when tests and trials come your way, go ahead and make testimonies out of them.

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Looking Beyond the Circumstances

“Looking away from all that will distract to Jesus, Who is the Leader and the Source of our faith.” – Hebrews 12:2 (AMPC)

Are you the kind of person who wants everything to run smoothly all the time? What about if you encounter a bump in the road of your plans, do you feel disappointed and like a failure?

I can definitely relate! Receiving an unpleasant outcome can cause much frustration and uneasiness. Our circumstances can easily rule our emotions if we let them. But God doesn’t want us to be at the mercy of our varied circumstances, or the hopeless feelings we can sometimes have about them.

Today I want to direct us to look beyond our circumstances. Rather than giving power to things we can’t control, why not seize an opportunity to trust God more? We may see a hopeless situation, but from God’s view something greater is taking place.

Gaining God’s perspective is learning to look beyond the circumstances. Unlike the unpredictability of life, God is unchanging. Therefore, we can depend on His faithfulness in every changing season of life.

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Armor Up

“Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”– Ephesians 6:11

One of the most important things we can understand as believers is that we are in a battle! The day you trusted Jesus Christ as your Savior was the day you became part of a spiritual battle.

Even though we can’t see it, there are spiritual forces surrounding us—angels vs. demons… good vs. evil… light vs. darkness. And although this activity is taking place in the invisible realm, it can effect us in the visible realm.

Your victory in spiritual warfare must rest on the reality that Jesus Christ has already purchased our victory on the cross. We have everything we need to win; it’s just a matter of using the weapons and exercising our authority.

God will not do it for you! However, it is your responsibility to put on the whole armor of God in order to stand on victory ground. The Word of God assures us that we can stand firm and resist anything Satan throws our way!

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