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

Get Your Joy Back !

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus”(1 Thessalonians 5:16–18, NIV)

Did you know that it is God’s will for you to be joyful always? God wants you to be happy and carefree. He wants you to love your life no matter what your circumstances look like. In fact, when you have joy in the midst of difficult circumstances, it’s the evidence that you have faith and trust that God is going to bring you through.

God’s supernatural joy is strength. When you have His joy, you can stand strong no matter what’s going on around you. You might say, “I’m just not a real jovial person. I’m more serious. I never laugh much.” I realize God made us all differently, but you can train yourself to laugh more. I read where the average child laughs over 200 times a day, but the average adult only laughs 4 times a day. What’s happened? We’ve allowed the pressures of life, stress and more responsibilities to, little by little, steal our joy.

Make the decision today to get your joy back. Decide that you are going to look beyond your problems and look to God to see you through. Ask Him every day to fill you with His supernatural peace and joy so that you can live in His strength and victory all the days of your life!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Heavenly Father, I humbly receive Your Word today. I choose to open my heart to You and invite You to fill me with Your joy and strength. Thank You for showing me Your goodness and empowering me with Your grace. I bless You today and always in Jesus’ name. Amen.

His Plan for You Remains

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable” (Romans 11:29, NIV)

No matter where you’ve been, no matter what you’ve done, realize today that your destiny supersedes your mistakes. When God designed the plan for your life, it wasn’t dependent on you being perfect, never making a mistake, or never taking a wrong turn. No, God knew we would all make mistakes. He knows how to get you back on track no matter where you are in life. Just like there are many routes on a map, God has a plan to help you reach your destination. He has detours, shortcuts and bypasses. He has already calculated the entire route for your life.

Today, if you’re feeling like you’ve blown it, if you feel like you are too old, too far gone or too off track, know that nothing you've done, no mistake that you’ve made — or ever will make — is a surprise to God. He’s already got it figured out. He’s arranged a comeback for every setback! He has grace for every weakness. He has mercy for every failure. Receive it today and move forward with boldness into the destiny He has for you!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, thank You for the gifts and talents You’ve given me. Thank You for keeping me on track and ordering my steps. I repent today for any disobedience that has caused me to get off course. Keep me close to You always as I set my love on You in Jesus’ name. Amen.

It’s About the Way You Finish

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7, NIV)

So often, when people make mistakes, they get down on themselves and think, “If only...” “I should have...” “What if...?” It’s easy to feel like you’ve missed the best plan for your life. That’s when people get discouraged and stop pursuing their God-given dreams. But understand today, just because you’ve made a mistake or failed in some way, that doesn’t cancel God’s plan. God never disqualifies you. He never says, “Go sit on the sidelines. You’ve blown it too many times. You’ve got too many weaknesses.” No, God always gives you another chance!

Some of the great people in the Bible made very poor choices. The apostle Paul started off as a murderer, yet his destiny was bigger than his mistakes. He ended up becoming a great leader and writing over half of the New Testament.

What am I saying? Our mistakes, our failures, our poor choices don’t have to keep us from our God-given destiny. With God, it’s not about the way you start in life, it’s about the way you finish. Receive His grace today and embrace the bright future He has in store for you!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, thank You for Your grace and mercy to me. I trust that my days are ordered of You. I ask that You strengthen and empower me to fulfill Your call on my life. I love You and bless You today in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Setup for a Comeback

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“For though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again...” (Proverbs 24:16, NIV)

Life is full of things that try to push us down. We all face disappointments and setbacks. Maybe you received some bad news about your health or perhaps a relationship didn’t work out. That was a setback. It’s easy to get discouraged or lose your enthusiasm or even be tempted to just settle where you are. But if we’re going to see God’s best, we have to have a “bounce back” mentality. That means when you get knocked down, you don’t stay down. You get back up again. You have to know that every time adversity comes against you, it’s a setup for a comeback!

Remember, as a believer in Jesus, the same power that raised Christ from the dead lives on the inside of you. There is no challenge too difficult, no obstacle too high, no sickness, no disappointment, no person, nothing that can keep you from your God-given destiny. If you stay in faith, then God will turn what was meant to be a stumbling block into a stepping stone, and you’ll move forward in strength, full of faith and victory!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father in heaven, thank You for setting me up for success in everything I do. I choose to trust and rely on You knowing that Your plans are for my good. I know my best days are ahead of me and look ahead to the blessings You have in store for me in Jesus’ name. Amen.

A New Route

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“Who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion” (Psalm 103:4, NIV)

I know people who feel like they’ve wasted years of their lives because of poor choices. They spent years in a relationship that was toxic, years with an addiction, years at a job where they weren’t fulfilled. But you have to realize, nothing you have been through is ever wasted. Your past experiences, good and bad have deposited something on the inside of you. Those challenges have sharpened you to help make you who you are today. When the enemy brings hardship into your life, God has a way of taking that experience and turning it around for your advantage. You may think you’ve hit a dead end, but if you’ll stay in faith, you will see God begin to open up a new route. He’ll put the right people in your path, the right opportunities, the right circumstances to move you forward toward your God-given destiny.

Today, don’t focus on what’s happened in your past, focus on what God will do in your future. He wants to restore your soul and revive your dreams. Keep believing, keep expecting, keep hoping because God has a new route for your future!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father God, I come humbly before You today. I give You my past, present and future knowing that You will redeem my life. I release those who have hurt me, I choose forgiveness so I can be free to move forward in the new route You have for me in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Failure is Not Final

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“...But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead” (Phillipians 3:13, NIV)

Are you down on yourself today because of past mistakes you’ve made or because you’re not where you want to be in life? God knows every poor choice, every difficulty, every wrong turn you may have made, and He’s already planned your comeback! In scripture, Jonah took a detour, so to speak. It took him a little bit longer, but because he called out to God, because he believed, God not only rescued him, but God got him to his final destination.

Friend, know today that failure is not final. God always has the final say. Mistakes don’t have to keep you from your destiny. God’s plan can override every setback. Your world may be in turmoil today in a relationship, in your finances or health. But know this: not only will God rescue you; He will set your feet on a rock and lead you to your final destination in life. Remember, the promise He placed on the inside of you didn’t go away because you had some personal failures. No, that failure is only temporarym but His Word remains forever! Keep hoping, keep believing because He will move you into the blessing and victory He has prepared for you!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father God, thank You for Your hand of victory and blessing that is on my life. Today, I shake off the past, I shake off failure, I shake off poor choices and trust that You are restoring me and leading me into the plan You have for me 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 even afraid of what God has called you to do? Maybe you were pursuing a dream or goal and things didn’t turn out the way you planned. 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 sent a messenger 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 to 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 and that He will 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. I love You and surrender every area of my life to You 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.” Before Jesus came to earth, the Spirit of God resided in the temple. The people had to go through all sorts of rituals to become clean enough to go near Him. Now, as believers, we are the temple of the Holy Spirit. When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, He is the one who cleanses us and actually makes His home in our hearts.

Isn’t it good to know that God is with us? He is closer than the very air that 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 serve Emmanuel — the God who is always with you!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father in heaven, thank You for 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.

Unto Us

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder...” (Isaiah 9:6, NKJ)

When Jesus came to earth, He brought with Him everything you need to be empowered to live a life of victory. He came as a little baby, but He represented all authority in heaven and earth. When you choose to serve Him, you have access to all of His resources. You have access to His peace, power, authority, provision, joy and strength. He brought all of this to us when He came to earth. Unto us a child is born...unto us victory is given. Unto us, peace is given. Unto us, provision is given. Unto us hope and healing are given. Unto us eternal life is given!

Whatever you need today, remember, when Jesus came into the world, He made a way for every one of your needs to be met spiritually, emotionally and physically. Surrender your life to Him and receive all the spiritual blessings He has in store for you!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father in heaven, thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus, so that I could be free to live an abundant life in You. Fill me with the revelation of Your love and everything that You have for me in Jesus’ name. Amen.

The Wonderful Counselor

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor...” (Isaiah 9:6, NIV)

Do you need wisdom or direction in your life today? The scripture tells us that Jesus is our Counselor. And He’s not just any kind of Counselor, He’s a Wonderful Counselor. When something is wonderful, it means it is unusually good, marvelous or astonishing. Think about that for a moment. God is a marvelous, astonishing, unusually good Counselor — the very best you could ever have!

Today, no matter what you may be facing, no matter what kinds of decisions you have to make, consider God. Ask Him to direct your steps and confirm His perfect will for your life. Remember, He is the best counselor there is. Let Him direct and guide your path. Seek Him with your whole heart, put Him first, and let Him lead you in blessing and victory in every area of your life.

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father in heaven, You are my Wonderful Counselor. I submit all my ways to You. I trust that You have a good plan for me. Thank You for giving me wisdom and direction in every area of my life in Jesus’ name. Amen.