Delmar answers, “come on in boys, the waters fine!"

Use the Gift

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” (Joshua 1:8, NIV)

Have you ever received a gift card that you stored in a special place for so long that you forgot you had it? Most of them have an expiration date, and if you don’t use it, you will surely lose it! The same is true with the Word of God. No, the Word doesn’t ever expire, but we have to take action and use His Word in order to receive His promises. Just like you exchange your gift card for the things you need at the store, His Word gives you the power to receive every promise He has for you.

As today’s verse tells us, when you declare His Word and keep your heart and mind open to Him, you are using the gift. You are opening the door for Him to move in your life. For example, if you’re facing lack in any area, receive the gift of provision by declaring...my God shall supply all my needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19). If there’s a mountain in your way, receive the gift of victory that says, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13).

Today and every day, use the gift He’s given you. Make His Word a priority and don’t let it depart from your mouth. As you do, He’ll make your way prosperous, and you’ll enjoy the abundant life He has for you!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Word which is truth to set me free. I determine in my heart to set Your Word into motion in my life. Keep me close to You so that I can please You in everything I do. In Jesus’ Name Amen.

Freely Give

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“...Freely you have received, freely give.” (Matthew 10:8, NKJ)

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. 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!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your goodness and faithfulness in my life. I choose to honor Your Word by freely giving to others. Help me to find creative ways to give the way You have given to me. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Daily Benefits

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“Blessed be the Lord, Who daily loads us with benefits...”(Psalm 68:19, NKJ)

This morning when you woke up, what was the first thing that went through your mind? Maybe you have a deadline to meet or a big appointment at work. Maybe you are facing a challenge or going through a difficulty in a relationship that seems to consume your thoughts. Today, I want to encourage you; instead of focusing on what your circumstances have to offer, focus on what God has to offer you. His mercies are new every morning, and His compassion never fails. He has victory in store for you today; He has provision in store for you today; He has joy in store for you today, and He has peace in store for you today. He daily loads you with blessing!

The key to accessing these daily benefits is setting your focus in the right direction. You can’t wait to see how you feel, what kind of mood your spouse is in, what the traffic is like or what the stock market is doing. No, you have to choose to set your focus by saying, “This is going to be a great day. I am blessed and cannot be cursed! I know God is directing my steps; something good is going to happen to me today!”

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Heavenly Father, today I choose to focus on You. I open my heart and mind to receive Your daily benefits. Show me ways to be a blessing to others and a good example of your love. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Not as the World Gives

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27, NIV)

So many people today are looking for true, inner peace. They search through relationships, addictions, money, gadgets and even religion to try to find something that will fill the void inside. But true peace isn’t found in anything this world has to offer, it can only be found through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Only He can satisfy the longing in our souls and give us true, lasting peace.

God gives freely, not as the world gives. You can’t earn it, and you can’t pay for it. There’s no catch, no fine print and no strings attached. You can rest secure that He’s not ever going to take His peace away; His peace is eternal! A life of peace begins when you invite Jesus to be your Lord and Savior. Then as you align your thoughts, attitudes and actions with His Word, that peace will flood every area. Peace is how we know we are following God’s plan because God’s plan always leads to peace!

If you’re looking for peace today, call upon His name. Invite Jesus to be your Lord and Savior, follow His Word and allow His peace to flood every area of your life.

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Dear God, thank You for the gift of peace which passes all understanding. I receive Your peace today and trust that You are leading and guiding me in the good plan You have prepared for me.

New Mercy

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is His faithfulness; His mercies begin afresh each morning” (Lamentations 3:22–23, NLT)

Isn’t it good to know that no matter what happened yesterday, no matter what you said, no matter what you did, God’s mercy is new for you today? Mercy is empowering. It frees us to make the right choices and live in a way that is pleasing to God. We have to always remember that God is not condemning us. Romans tells us that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ. God wants to love us and equip us to overcome in this life.

Do you need new mercy today? Receive it by faith. You don’t have to beg God to forgive you. He forgives you the first time you ask, but it’s up to you to receive that forgiveness. Open your heart today and receive His mercy. Let Him wash over you with His peace and joy. Then choose to extend that mercy to others. Remember, you are God’s representative in the earth. As you show His love and character to others, He’ll pour out His blessing upon you and use you in ways you never dreamed!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Heavenly Father, today I choose to receive Your mercy and forgiveness. Thank You for cleansing me of all unrighteousness. Thank You for making me new. I love You and bless Your Holy Name. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Strength to Overcome

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“I have given you authority...to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you” (Luke 10:19, NIV)

God has given you all power and authority to overcome every obstacle you may face in life. That means you are well able to do what God has called you to do. You can accomplish your goals. You have the ideas, the creativity and the talent to be successful. You have been armed with strength for every battle! God has already lined up the right people to come across your path; He’s already lined up the right opportunities. You have everything you need to live a victorious life. Not an average life, not a barely-get-by, mediocre life — you were created to excel. You have seeds of greatness on the inside.

You may not have seen it in the past, but if you’ll stay in faith, it’s just a matter of time — victory is on the way. Don’t settle where you are. Rise up in strength today and begin to declare, “I will accomplish my dreams. I can overcome any obstacle. I’ve been equipped and empowered to live in victory in every area of my life.”

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Heavenly Father, thank You for the power to overcome every obstacle I may face. Help me to see myself the way You see me. Help me to embrace the victory You have in store for me today. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Positioned to Receive

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“If you believe, you will receive...” (Matthew 21:22, NIV)

All through the Bible, there are so many promises of what God has already done for us. It says in Ephesians that “God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing.” It says in Colossians that “God has made us worthy.” There is mercy for any mistake we will ever make. It’s already been taken care of. He paid the ultimate price through the death, burial and resurrection of His Son, Jesus. He’s done His part. Now it’s up to us to do our part. We have to start believing it so we can receive.

In the natural, when someone gives you a gift, what’s the first thing you usually say? “Thank you.” When you give thanks, it’s a sign that you are receiving the gift. Today, start receiving what God has given you by saying, “Father, thank You for Your mercy. Thank You for supplying all of my needs. Thank You for Your goodness in my life.”

As you learn to give Him thanks, you are learning to receive from Him. Open your heart by faith today and thank Him for all the blessings He has prepared for you!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father God, I come to You today giving You thanks and praise for Your faithfulness in my life. I choose to receive Your Word which is life and strength to my soul. Help me to keep my heart focused on You. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

God’s Love Prompts Giving

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16, NIV)

Have you ever thought about how your love affects your giving? I’ve heard it said that you can give without loving, but you can’t love without giving. Love prompts us to give of ourselves, our time, abilities and resources. The Bible tells us that God is love, and the world will know we are His followers by our love — and our giving shows our love.

During this Christmas holiday, the season of giving, remember to take time to focus on the greatest gift of all, the gift of eternal, abundant life through Jesus. If you’ve never received this gift, I invite you to open your heart and pray this simple prayer: “Lord Jesus, I come to You today, giving You all that I am. I repent of my sins and confess that I need You. I believe You died and rose for me. Be my Lord and Savior and make me new today. I receive Your love and Your gift of eternal life.” Then, go out and share the gift of love with someone else because it’s the only gift that will last in eternity!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father in heaven, thank You for loving me and setting me free. I choose to serve You with my whole heart all the days of my life. Help me love others the way You love me. Give me opportunities to be a blessing everywhere I go. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Do Not Be Afraid

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“...an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. ‘Joseph, son of David,’ the angel said, ‘do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit.’ ” (Matthew 1:20, NLT)

Have you ever felt overwhelmed or afraid of what God has called you to do? Maybe you pursued a dream or goal in the past and things didn’t turn out the way you planned. Now you’re uncertain of the future.

In the Bible, Joseph had planned to take Mary as his wife, but when he found out she was pregnant, he didn’t know what to think. He was afraid that he might be making a mistake because things didn’t turn out the way he planned. But God in His graciousness sent an angel in a dream to reassure Joseph that he was on the right path.

Today let me reassure you that God knows right where you are, and He knows how to get you where you need to be. Even when things don’t go the way you planned, His hand is on you. Do not be afraid. Trust that God is working behind the scenes on your behalf, that He will fulfill your dreams and lead you into the life of blessing that He has prepared for you.

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father in heaven, I choose to trust in You. Even when things don’t go the way I planned, I know You are at work in my life. Thank You for Your perfect love which casts out all fear. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Emmanuel, God with Us

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
“Behold, the virgin shall become pregnant and give birth to a Son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel — which, when translated, means, God with us” (Matthew 1:23, AMP)

In the Bible, Jesus has many names that identify His character. One of those names is Emmanuel, which means “God with us.” See, before Jesus came to the earth, the Spirit of God resided in the temple. People weren’t able to be connected with God the way we are able to connect with Him today. They had to go through all sorts of rituals to make themselves clean enough to go to the temple. Because of Jesus, we believers are now the temple of the Holy Spirit. When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, He is the one who cleanses us and makes His home in our hearts.
Isn’t it good to know that God is with us? He is closer than the very air we breathe. His peace is always with us. His joy is always with us. His power is always with us, and His victory is always with us. The next time you feel alone, remember, you are never alone because you serve Emmanuel — the God who is always with us!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY
Father in heaven, thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus and choosing to make Your home in me. Thank You for filling me with Your peace and joy. I bless You today, knowing that You will never leave me nor forsake me. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.