Proverbs 29:6

An evil man is snared by his sin, but the righteous can sing and be glad.
– Proverbs 29:6

Sent from Daily Bible Inspirations

Love Yourself Today

 

                                                                                                GET RID OF THE FAILURE SYNDROME

God disarmed the principalities and powers that were ranged against us and made a bold display and public examples of them, in triumphing over them in Him and in the it(the cross).  COLOSSIANS 2:15

 

Many people lack confidence.  They are often shame-based and guilt-ridden, and they have a very poor self-image.  The enemy knows that and begins his assault on personal confidence whenever and wherever he can find an opening.  His ultimate goal is total destruction of that person and his or her self-esteem.

 

The devil knows that someone without confidence will never step out to do anything edifying the Kingdom of God.  He does not want you to fulfill God's plan for your life.  He can make you believe that you are incapable, and then you won't even try to accomplish anything worthwhile.  Even if do make an effort, your fear of failure will seal your defeat, which you probably expected from the beginning because of your lack of confidence.  This is what is often referred to as the "Failure Syndrome."

 

God wants you to know that the devil is already a defeated foe.  Jesus triumphed over him on the cross and made a public display of his  disgrace in the spirit realm.  Jesus' victory means that you can get rid of the failure syndrome.  His ability to bring His will to pass in your life is determined by your faith in Him and in His word.  That is reason for confidence!

 

Love Yourself Today: Remember ; the destroyer of your confidence, the enemy, has already been defeated by God.

 

 

Nothing Will Be Impossible

Nothing Will Be Impossible

 

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE   "...now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do."

(Genesis 11:6 KJV)

 

 

TODAY'S WORD from Joel and Victoria

 

In the Old Testament, the people were trying to build a tower to the heavens. The scripture says, "Nothing they imagined was impossible to them." Their imagination was so powerful that God had to send confusion to keep them from accomplishing something for the wrong purpose.

That same principle is true today. If we can get our imagination working for the right purpose, if we will let God paint a new picture on the canvas of our heart and see ourselves as He sees us — strong, healthy, victorious — then we can rise higher and accomplish everything He's put in our heart. It may look impossible, but if you can imagine it, if you can see it through your eyes of faith, God is saying, "Nothing will be impossible to you." That means you can overcome addictions by forming a new image on the inside. You can break generational curses by creating the right pictures in your imagination. You can go further than you ever thought possible if you'll keep the right vision in front of you!

 

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

 

Father, thank You for the ability to accomplish Your purpose. I set my face toward You; I set my thoughts toward You; I set my focus on Your purpose knowing that with You, nothing will be impossible in Jesus' name! Amen!

 

Hurt People Hurt People

 

 

Hurt People Hurt People

 

Read:  Proverbs 17:9-19
If you love only those who love you, why should you get credit for that?  - Luke 6:32

 

 

I was babysitting two 5-year-old boys while their mothers went shopping. They were having a fun time playing together until one of the children threw a ball that accidentally struck the other on the nose.

 

The boy who was hurt scolded his friend and said, "You can never come over to my house again!" "Is it true," I asked, "that you never want your friend to come over again?" "No," the boy responded. "But when someone hurts me, I say mean things to them."

 

Then he asked, "Would you show me how to not say mean things to people when they hurt me?"

 

I went from awe at this 5-year-old's self-awareness and repentant heart to a painful realization that I'm not qualified to teach this lesson. For I'm often prone to respond the same way: When someone hurts me, I sometimes use words to hurt back.

 

Referring to Balaam's anger at a donkey (granted, it was an animal, not a person—but the same concept) as told in Numbers 22:27-29, the Life Application Study Bible study notes say, "Lashing out at others can be a sign that something is wrong with us. Don't allow your hurt pride to lead you to hurt others."

 

Proverbs 17:9 speaks to me of the importance of a healthy response to those who wrong us: "Love prospers when a fault is forgiven, but dwelling on it separates close friends." When we apply this truth, we're less likely to respond to painful words or actions in a careless and hurtful way.

 

Even more poignant, Solomon wrote, "If you repay good with evil, evil will never leave your house" (Proverbs 17:13).

 

I'm thankful for a 5-year-old boy who reminded me that by forgiving, rather than using harsh words as revenge, we glorify God and restore relationships.

 

 

An Anointing Of Ease

 

An Anointing Of Ease

 

Read:  Matthew 11:25-30

For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.  – Matthew 11:30

 

I DECLARE there is an anointing of ease on my life. God is going before me making crooked places straight. His yoke is easy and His burden is light.  I will not continually struggle. What used to be difficult will not be difficult anymore. God's favor and blessings on my life is lightening the load and taking the pressure off. This is my declaration.

 

Jesus said, "My yoke is easy and my burden is light." God wants to make your life easier. He wants to help you when you're driving in traffic, shopping at the grocery store, raising your children, and dealing with that problem at work. Every day you should thank Him for His anointing of ease.

 

This is what David did. He declared in Psalm 23, "God anoints my head with oil."  Oil makes things flow. Whenever there is friction or things are stuck, oil is used to lubricate it and make it more fluid. That is what God is doing with you when He anoints your head with oil.

 

David went on to say, "Because God has anointed me, surely goodness and mercy will follow me wherever I go." That means things will be eas­ier. What you used to struggle with will no longer be a strug­gle. For no reason people will want to be good to you. You will get breaks that you didn't deserve. You will have good ideas, wisdom, creativity, and you won't know where it came from. That is the oil God put on you.  His anointing of ease.  

 

I was once in a difficult situation I didn't know how to resolve. I was in another city far away from home. I really needed some advice. So I called a friend. He said, "You really need to talk to one of my associates. He's expert in this field. He'll be able to help you. But he's of town for two weeks."

 

Well, I didn't have two weeks. That was like a lifetime to me. He asked me where I was and I told him. He said: "You've got to be kidding. That man just left two or three hours ago and that's exactly where he's heading."  When he gave me the address I found the man I needed less than two miles from where I staying. When I heard that, I knew God was still on Throne.

 

Here we were; both of us thousands of miles from home. We could have been anywhere in the world. What were the chances that we'd end up less than five min from each other?  What am I saying? God is directing every one of our steps. He has already lined up solutions to our problems.  He has lined up breaks you need.

 

I want you to go out each day knowing there is favor in your future. There is restoration in future. There is healing in your future. There are good breaks just ahead of you. If you stay in faith you will see favor that will make your life easier.

 

 

 

P.O.U.R.

 

When you Pray, You should

 

(P)our out your heart

(R)ealize God will answer

(A)lways believe

(Y)ield to what God says…..

 

Truth Precedes Change

                                                                                                Truth Precedes Change

                                                                And you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free.   JOHN 8:32

 

Is there something you'd like to change about yourself or the way you live?  Change begins with truth.  It's almost impossible to see the need for change or to know how we should change if we don't face the truth about where we are.  In the process of change, admitting the truth about ourselves is often the hardest part.  We don't need to feel guilty about the way we are, we just need to ask God's forgiveness and be excited about change.

 

Let me share a practical example of how facing truth and changing has worked in my life.  If I'm eating too much and don't want to face the truth about that, I will make excuses.  "My metabolism must be slowing down." "The dry cleaners shrank my pants." Excuses can be endless! Excuses, though, are actually reasons stuffed with lies.

 

Once I decide to stop making excuses, I can admit the truth.  "I've been eating too much and that's why I've gained weight."  When I say that I am taking responsibility for the problem.  That's the truth, and it will set me free.

 

I have had to face many truths in my past and still do.  If we want to change, we have to start with the truth.  Ask God to reveal truth to you about you!  When he does if it begins to hurt, just realize that the pain you feel is actually a healing  pain that is working toward your freedom and increased peace and joy.

 

Love Yourself Today: "Lord, help me to see and admit the truth about every area in my life, and with your help, make the changes I need to make."

 

 

LOVE YOURSELF, LAUGH AT YOURSELF

  LOVE YOURSELF, LAUGH AT YOURSELF

  You grow up the day you have the first real laugh at yourself.  Ethel Barrymore

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Many of us take our personal faults and mistakes too seriously.  We spend too much time opposing ourselves, being our worst enemies.  We often judge ourselves more strictly than we judge others and we focus on our faults far too intensely.  We should always be serious about our sin and want to improve.  But many of the little, everyday things we treat as monumental are really not so terribly important.  So give yourself a break!

 

God knew every flaw and weakness you would have and every mistake you would make when He called you into relationship with Himself.  Nothing about you surprises Him.

 

God knows - and has always known - everything about you.  He knows what you will think, do and say every day for the rest of your life on earth.  He also knows how He will help you, teach you, correct you, encourage you and give you grace for all your faults and failures.  He is always for you, never against you, no matter what you do.  This truth should set you free to lighten up, enjoy being who God made you to be, and have a laugh at your own self.

 

You are who you are.  You do what you do, and it's not always perfect.  In fact, sometimes you really mess up!  That's part of being human.  But if you also have God, have a heart to change, and ask Him to help you, then you can relax.  God is working on you, changing you every day, helping you grow.  God is not mad at you! Enjoy Him, and enjoy yourself even though you are not perfected yet.

 

Love Yourself Today: Don't be so serious all the time.  As often as possible, have a good laugh!

 

Speak Life - Romans 12:2

Your Original Software

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE

"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will."

(Romans 12:2, NIV)

TODAY'S WORD from Joel and Victoria

Our minds work like a computer. The way you program it is the way it's going to function. You can have the most powerful computer made, but if you put the wrong software in it, it's not going to function like it was designed. We've all had to deal with these computer viruses. All these problems occur not because the computer is defective, but because somebody contaminated the software. In the same way, when God created you, He stepped back and said, "Another masterpiece." Your hardware is perfect. From the very beginning, He programmed you to be victorious, healthy, strong and creative. He programmed, "Whatever you touch will prosper and succeed." He programmed, "The head and not the tail. Lend and not borrow. Victor and not victim." That's how your Creator designed you. But the reason we don't always experience this abundant life is because we've allowed viruses to contaminate our software. Because our software is infected, we go around with low self-esteem, negative and doubtful. It's time to reprogram your mind with the Word of God! Meditate on what He says about you, delete the viruses, and get back to your original software!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, thank You for making me in Your image. Help me to see any areas where my thinking is contaminated. I choose to meditate on Your Word daily so I can live the life You've prepared for me in Jesus' name. Amen.

 

Sleepless Nights

 

Sleepless Nights

 

Read:  Genesis 32:22-32
Jacob named the place Peniel (which means "face of God"), for he said, "I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been spared" - Genesis 32:30

 

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Sleep. It's one of the most underrated pleasures in life. There's nothing like a good night's rest or napping on a rainy day. My bed feels like a refuge—a small sanctuary from the cares of life.

 

On some nights, however, sleep is hard to find. In the dark stillness, cares and concerns of all kinds can leave us tossing and turning.

 

The Bible contains two dramatic accounts of sleepless nights that may offer some guidance for those occasions when sleep eludes us. The first story is found in Genesis. Jacob, the grandson of Abraham, was returning home for the first time in 20 years after having cheated his twin brother Esau out of their father's inheritance (Genesis 27:1-36, Genesis 32:1-12). Alone and afraid of what Esau might do to him, Jacob found himself in an all-night wrestling match with God.

 

Centuries later, Jesus experienced His own sleepless night. As darkness descended on Jerusalem, Jesus found Himself praying alone in a grove of trees outside of the city. Unlike His disciples who couldn't stay awake, Jesus wrestled and surrendered to the reality that a bloodthirsty mob was coming for Him, and there would be no sleep for Him that night (Mark 14:32-36).

 

During both nights, Jacob and Jesus wrestled through their cares with God. Jacob pleaded for a personal blessing (Genesis 32:26-30). Jesus asked His heavenly Father to withhold the cup of suffering that was needed to fulfill God's promise to bless all the nations through Israel (Genesis 12:2-3; Mark 14:36). But He surrendered to the Father's perfect will.

 

Are the cares of life keeping you up? It's okay to pray for sleep to come. But sometimes a sleepless night is God's invitation to wrestle with Him so that our need can meet His grace