An Ornament of Grace

"My son, do not let wisdom and understanding out of your sight, preserve sound judgment and discretion; they will be life for you, an ornament to grace your neck."
(Proverbs 3:21-22, NIV)

                                        

No matter what decisions you may be facing today, God wants to equip you and empower you to make the right choices. Today’s verse tells us that seeking wisdom and discretion brings life and is “an ornament of grace.” How do we seek wisdom and discretion? By making the Word of God a priority. The answer to every situation we face is addressed in God’s Word either directly or by principle. When God’s Word is the final authority in your life, His grace will empower you to live victoriously.


Verses 23 through 26 go on to say, “Then you will go on your way in safety, and your foot will not stumble. When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. Have no fear of sudden disaster or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked, for the LORD will be at your side and will keep your foot from being snared.”


Today, I encourage you to put God’s Word first. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you as you study. Follow His commands and open the way for His grace to cover you. Let His grace empower you to dwell in safety and rest securely all the days of your life!

Come to the Father

"Come to Me, all who are weary and heavily burdened [by religious rituals that provide no peace], and I will give you rest [refreshing your souls with salvation]."
(Matthew 11:28 AMP)

                                                    

Does your soul need refreshing today? You can come to the Father and find what you need. Are you facing challenges in your relationships? Finances? Career? The Father wants to refresh you. He wants to give you rest. Think about that for a moment. What would cause you to rest? If you knew everything was going to work out for your good, you would stop worrying. You would rest! Even if things don’t work out the way you planned or on your timetable, you can trust that God will turn things around in your favor.



Come to the Father today with thanksgiving. Thank Him right now for taking your burdens and giving you peace. Thank Him for loving you and giving you new life. Thank Him for His faithfulness! Go out today with an attitude of expectancy. He always has a plan, and you can always come to Him!

Receive the Overflow

"…we went through fire and water, but you brought us to a place of abundance."
(Psalm 66:12, NIV)
   
                                                  


Friend, no matter what your circumstances may look like today, God's plan is to bring you through to a place of abundance. He wants you to have an abundance of peace, an abundance of joy, an abundance of resources—He wants you to overflow with His blessings so that you can be a blessing to the people around you.

If you want to live in the overflow of God's blessings, you have to have an attitude to receive the overflow. Remember, as a believer in Jesus, you are a child of the Most High God. Royal blood is flowing through your veins. You were not created to be average. You were not created to barely get by and drag through life. You have seeds of greatness on the inside. You are well able to do whatever God has called you to do!


Today, put your shoulders back, hold your head up high, and start thinking like a victor. When you're a victor, you know that any adversity in your life is not permanent; it's temporary. Have the attitude to receive the overflow of God's abundance. Keep believing and keep expecting because it's just a matter of time until He turns things around in your favor!

Created to Thrive

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."
(John 10:10, NIV)



''So many people today are living in “survival” mode. They have a mentality that says, “If I can just make it through…” or “If I can just get by…” Of course, there are some seasons that are more difficult than others. Sometimes it’s challenging to get a vision for the future. But if you are constantly living with a survival mentality, you are missing out on God’s best. Scripture doesn’t say, “Jesus came so you could survive.” No, it says that He came to give you a full, abundant life! If you are living in survival mode right now, I believe that today can be your turning point. If you’ll take a step of faith and begin to declare, “My days of survival are over; my days of thriving have begun,” then I believe God will meet your faith. I believe He will open an unexpected door. He’ll pour out His favor and blessing on you. He’ll make a way where there seems to be no way! Even if you’re in a tough time right now, remember tough times don’t last, but the Word of the Lord stands forever. Begin to declare what God says about your circumstances because you are created for more than to just get by—you are created to thrive!''.

Increase Your Capacity to Receive

"Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back..."
(Isaiah 54:2, NIV)




God has many blessings in store for you! He has favor in your future like you've never imagined. He wants to take you places that you've never even dreamed. But in order for us to partake of all these blessings, we have to increase our capacity to receive.


Think about this: if you have a one-gallon bucket and someone has fifty gallons to give you, the problem is not with the supply. The problem is that you don't have the capacity to receive the fifty gallons. But if you get rid of that small container and get something larger, then you will be able to receive more. It's the same way with God. If we think we've reached our limits, the problem isn't that God doesn't have the resources or the ability. The problem is that our container is too small. We have to enlarge our vision and make room for the new things God has for us. Our attitude should be, "Yes, the economy is down, but I know God is still on the throne. I know wherever I go His goodness and mercy follow me." When you have that kind of attitude, you're increasing your capacity to receive so that you can live the abundant life He has in store for you.

Freely Give

"..Freely you have received, freely give."
(Matthew 10:8 NKJV)

Every command God gives us in His Word is for our good. He is a good God, and He works all things together for our good because He loves us. He wants to bless us, multiply us and fill us with His exceeding joy and peace, but we have to do our part. We have to obey His commands in order to set the blessing into motion. One of the best ways to see the blessing of God operating in your life is by sowing a seed of your time, abilities or resources. Proverbs says that those who scatter seed generously reap even more. That’s because when you give, God promises that it will come back to you in abundance - pressed down, shaken together and running over. But, you have to freely receive in order to have something to give. Remember, giving is tied to receiving. Victoria and I have found that the more we freely receive from God, the more we desire to freely give to others. Today, I encourage you to keep your heart and mind open to what God has for you. Look for ways to sow seeds. Freely give and set the blessing in motion in your life today!

Something Out of Nothing

“The earth was formless and empty...and God said, ‘Let there be light’...”
(Genesis 1:2–3, NIV)


Do you need a miracle in your life for something that seems impossible? With man it may be, but we serve the all-powerful God, and He can create something out of nothing! He can make a way when there seems to be no way and open doors that seemed closed forever!

Genesis tells us that in the beginning, God created the heavens and earth, but before He spoke the world into existence, it was formless and void. If God can make the world out of nothing, He can take the empty places in your life and create something beautiful, too! He can speak light into your darkest hour. He can take your formless dreams and give them shape. He can resurrect your dormant gifts and talents! He can make your crooked places straight!

Remember, you are created in the image of almighty God. There’s power in your words, and there’s power when you’re in agreement with Him. Start saying what God says about your situation. Speak life to your broken dreams today. Speak hope into the hopeless places. Keep an attitude of faith and expectancy because He will turn things around for you and create something out of nothing!