It's Your Time
Today's Scripture
"Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?" (Esther 4:14, NLT)
Esther was a Jewish orphan girl who was raised in poverty while living in exile in a foreign country. She had so many bad breaks and disadvantages. It didn't look like she would ever do anything great.
But bad circumstances cannot stop your destiny. God gave Esther favor and raised her up out of obscurity to become the queen of Persia. Esther was able to use her position to save the people of Israel from a plot to destroy all of them. Her time to shine had come, and she became a national hero.
You don't know the amazing things God has in store for you. Why don't you start seeing yourself the right way? Instead of focusing on what you don't have, how big the obstacles are, or the mistakes you've made, start focusing on the fact that you're a person of destiny. The greatness the Creator of the universe put in you is about to come out. He handpicked you for this particular time. It's your time to shine and step into new levels.
A Prayer for Today
"Father, thank You that You are Almighty God and the power of Your favor is working in my life. Thank You for the opportunities You will bring my way to step into 'such a time as this' moments and fulfill my purpose. I declare that nothing can stop my destiny. In Jesus' Name, Amen."
Forum Topic
Say your prayer here or your prayer request. please respect this thread
-
Ignore the Lies
Today's Scripture
"He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies." (John 8:44, NLT)
You can't stop the enemy's lies, or pray away the negative thoughts, or get so determined that you're never going to feel fear. But you don't have to be intimidated, and you don't have to live worried. The lies are a sign that what God promised is on the way, that there are great things in your future. He wouldn't be telling you those lies if healing, freedom, and abundance aren't around the corner.
Start ignoring the lies. Quit living worried about your health, your finances, or how you can accomplish your dream. Quit letting the lies dominate your thought life. The battle is taking place in your mind. The enemy is a liar and a bully. He knows if he can control your thoughts, he can control your life.
When you recognize his tactics, when you know he comes at you with lies and distortions, you can deal with them properly. You won't let the lies keep you from your purpose. Ignore the lies, keep moving forward, and God will get you to your destiny.
A Prayer for Today
"Father, thank You that I can guard my heart and keep it free from all the lies and distortions that try to keep me intimidated and living worried. Help me to recognize the enemy's tactics. I declare that I will ignore the lies and believe the truth of Your Word. In Jesus' Name, Amen." -
Prayer for God’s Help
Lord God, Enlighten what is dark in me,
Strengthen what is weak in me,
Mend what is broken in me,
Bind what is bruised in me,
Heal what is sick in me,
Revive whatever peace and love that has died in me.
Restore me, Father God, as you would have me,
That I may better serve you
And show your Glory to all the world.
In the name of Christ, I pray,
Amen.
SCRIPTURE FOR TODAY: John 11:17-37
** Jesus Comforts Martha and Mary about Lazarus’ Death [Part 1] **
Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off, and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother. So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house.
Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”
Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”
She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.”
When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying in private, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” And when she heard it, she rose quickly and went to him. Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha had met him.
When the Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary rise quickly and go out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there. Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”
When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled. And he said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.”
Jesus wept. So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man also have kept this man from dying?” -
Prayer for Each of Us in Our Work
Almighty God, heavenly Father, who makes it possible for me to work and who gives every creature its food, declaring your glory and showing your handiwork in the heavens and in the earth; Deliver me, I pray, in my work, from coveting material goods, from falling into the temptation of serving mammon and putting money in the forefront of my life.
Help me to perform the work which you have put at my hand, in truth, in beauty, and in righteousness, with singleness of heart as your servant, and to the benefit of my fellow men as well as myself; for the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lived and died only to serve us.
Amen.
SCRIPTURE FOR TODAY: Romans 6:15-19
** Slaves to Righteousness **
What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means!
Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.
I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification. -
The Chain Has Been Broken
Today's Scripture
"...Moses answered the people, "Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again..." (Exodus 14:13, NIV)
The Israelites had been bound in slavery in Egypt for over four hundred years. All they had seen was injustice, being taken advantage of, mistreated, barely making it. God supernaturally brought them out of Egypt, and they were headed to the Promised Land when He said to them, "The enemies you see today, you will see no more." That's what happens when the chain breaker shows up. True freedom.
He was saying to them and to us, "Those things that have held you back for years, you're not going to see them anymore." This is a new day of freedom, a new day of wholeness, a new day of increase. Chains are falling off; chains of debt are being broken. Chains of cancer, diabetes, and heart trouble are being loosed. You will no longer see those chains of fear, insecurity, and low self-esteem. The addiction is not going to control you. Why? The chain has been broken.
A Prayer for Today
"Father, thank You that You have broken the chain of anything that's trying to hold me back. Thank You that You have so defeated the problem that I'm not even going to see it anymore. I'm going to start living like I am free and experience everything You have for me. In Jesus' Name, Amen." -
By This I Know
Today's Scripture
"By this I know that You are well pleased with me, because my enemy does not triumph over me." (Psalm 41:11, NKJV)
Are you facing difficulties that seem too big? Perhaps you never dreamed you would be battling a sickness, that your marriage would be in trouble, or the company wouldn't need you. God is saying, "I'm still in control. It's not a surprise to Me." He already has the solution lined up--the right people, the healing, the promotion, the breakthroughs.
I've learned to recognize that God is pleased with me not by the battles that He's stopped, but by the battles that didn't stop me. You can't judge God's favor by the battles He kept you out of, but by the battles He brought you through. David was saying, "I know God is pleased with me because in the time of testing He defeated my enemies for me." The Scripture says you will go through the fire and not be burned, and you will go through the waters and not drown. Don't get discouraged over what God is bringing you through. He won't allow you to get in a difficulty that He can't bring you out of.
A Prayer for Today
"Father, thank You for the history I have with You and for every time You have not allowed the enemy to triumph over me. Thank You for all the times when You've shown me that You are pleased with me. By this I know that I will triumph. In Jesus' Name, Amen." -
In and Out of Season
Today's Scripture
"He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others." (Daniel 2:21, NIV)
In the Scripture, Sarah gave birth to a baby when she was ninety years old. She was way past her childbearing years, but God does things out of season. David was taking care of his father's sheep when the prophet Samuel showed up at his house and anointed him to be the next king of Israel. He was promoted out of season, when he didn't have the qualifications. David didn't know that God was about to do something unusual. Neither he nor Sarah was "in season."
Every circumstance may say it's not your season. There's no sign of a relationship getting better, of you being promoted, or of your health improving. Thoughts will tell you, "It's never going to change." Don't believe those lies. God is saying, "I'm about to bless you out of season and surprise you with My favor. It's going to be bigger, better, and more fulfilling than you've dreamed." Don't complain because you're out of season. You're in prime position for God to show out in your life.
A Prayer for Today
"Father, thank You that You change times and seasons, and You're not limited to the right conditions to be in place in order for You to bless me. Thank You that You're always working behind the scenes on my behalf. I believe that You will bless me out of season. In Jesus' Name, Amen."