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

Flourishing Finish

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“For I know the thoughts and plans I have for you...to give you hope in your final outcome” (Jeremiah 29:11, AMP)

God desires to see you flourish in this life. He wants to see you come out of setbacks stronger, wiser, increased and promoted. He wants to give you hope in your final outcome and see you come to a flourishing finish.

When my father died unexpectedly, all in our family was not well. We didn’t know how everything was going to turn out. We didn’t have all the answers, but we understood the principle that God never ends on a negative. Instead of getting stuck on that page, we just kept moving forward little by little, doing our best, being faithful, being good to people. When I look out today, I can see the faithfulness of God. I can say like David, “Look what the Lord has done!”

Remember, when you encounter adversity, know that God isn’t finished yet. He never ends on a negative. He has more in store for you if you will keep pressing forward. Don’t let your thoughts get stuck on the circumstances. Instead, lift up your eyes to Jesus, the Author and Finisher of your faith. Trust that He is working behind the scenes on your behalf, and He will lead you into a flourishing finish!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, today I humbly come to You ready to receive Your favor, grace and mercy. I cast my cares on You. I cast my questions on You. I put my hope in You knowing that You will bring me to a flourishing finish in Jesus’ name! Amen.

Blameless

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless” (Psalm 84:11, NIV)

What do you need from the Lord today? Do you need peace, provision, guidance? The Word of God promises that no good thing will He withhold from those who walk blameless before Him.

Now you may be thinking, “I’m not perfect. How can I be blameless?” The Good News is that when you receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you automatically have a new life! The past is erased in God’s eyes. And sure, we all make mistakes, but 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” When you repent of your sins and receive God’s forgiveness, you are blameless in His sight!

Today, understand that God wants to pour His favor and honor on you. He doesn’t want to withhold any good thing from you. If there is anything in your life that isn’t pleasing to Him, go to the Father today and confess it to Him. His arms are open wide to you today. He’s ready to receive you and renew you with His love. Receive His forgiveness and let Him pour His favor and blessing on you all the days of your life!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Heavenly Father, thank You for loving me and choosing me. Thank You for giving me a new beginning and making me blameless in Your eyes. Search my heart today; show me if there is anything that would keep me from You in Jesus’ name. Amen.

He Will Deliver You!
TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“A righteous man may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all” (Psalm 34:19, NIV)

No matter what “troubles” you may be facing today, God has promised to deliver you! Notice today’s verse doesn’t say He’s going to deliver you from “some” of your troubles as long you say and do everything perfectly. No, if you are righteous today, then God promises to deliver you from all of your troubles.

How do you know if you are righteous? When you receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior, when you accept His forgiveness and choose to believe that He is working in your life, then you are righteous. The Bible says in Romans 4, that “Abraham believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness.” Your faith in the goodness of God is His righteousness at work in your heart!

If you are facing troubles today, expect that God has a way of escape for you. Expect that He is working behind the scenes on your behalf. Meditate on this verse and let it sink down deeply into your heart. Know that God is good, and He is your Deliverer today!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Heavenly Father, thank You for making me righteous by the blood of Jesus. I receive Your promises and choose to believe that You are working behind the scenes on my behalf. Thank You for being my Deliverer today and always in Jesus’ name! Amen.

Live Forward

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“...I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead” (Philippians 3:13, NLT)

Have you made the decision to forget the past? Many people don’t fully understand what that means. They wonder, “How can I forget something that’s happened to me?” But one definition of the word forget is to disregard intentionally or to overlook. In other words, you have to choose to disregard your past so that it doesn’t keep you from moving forward. That means the good and the bad. Sometimes our past victories keep us from rising higher as much as past failures. If we don’t let go of the old, we’ll never be able to embrace the new.

It doesn’t matter what’s happened in your history, it’s time to forget what lies behind. Today, make the choice live forward. Trust that God has a better future in store for you. Trust that He’s working behind the scenes on your behalf. As you forget what lies behind and press forward, you’ll move forward. You’ll see increase and blessing and live the abundant life He has in store for you!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father in heaven, today I choose to forget the past. I don’t want anything to hold me back from what You have in store for my future. I choose forgiveness. I choose peace. Help me, by Your Spirit, to press forward into the life of blessing You have for me in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Times of Refreshing

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord” (Acts 3:19, NIV)

God promises in His Word to bring you times of refreshing. He doesn’t want you to live overwhelmed, in despair, or weighted down by burdens in this life. Scripture says that His yoke is easy and His burden is light. That means He wants you to live without pressure. He doesn’t expect you to figure everything out because He already has a plan for your good, and whatever He asks you to do, He equips you for it.

One of the ways people feel heavy and overwhelmed in this life is by carrying unnecessary burdens or taking on responsibility that God never required. When we get out of step with God, when we go against His Word, things become more difficult. Condemnation and guilt can creep in and cause us to try to “work harder” the next time.

If you’ve found yourself in this cycle of works, or if you know you are out of step with Him, today is great day to find your new beginning! He wants to refresh you. He wants to empower you with His strength. Why don’t you turn to Him with an open and humble heart? Repent, let go of the past, and start moving forward. Receive His love and grace and enjoy times of refreshing with Him!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father God, I come to You with an open and humble heart. I choose to submit myself to You and surrender my ways to Your ways. I make the choice to change and thank You for empowering me and refreshing me today in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Empowered by His Presence

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13, NKJV)

God wants to empower and strengthen you to overcome every obstacle in this life. He wants to give you confidence, wisdom and boldness to pursue the dreams and desires in your heart. He wants to give you supernatural insight so that you can be a witness of His goodness. In scripture, Peter and John were supernaturally equipped. Everyone around them marveled at their boldness, at their ability. They knew Peter and John didn’t have any formal training. They knew there wasn’t anything special about them. This power and wisdom could have only come from one place — the presence of Jesus.

Friend, when you spend time with Jesus, people will see it. You’ll be energized by His anointing and equipped by His grace. That’s why it’s so important to take time every day to be in His presence. No matter where you are on this earth, His presence is only a prayer away. Scripture says He is near to all who call upon His name. It says that He inhabits the praises of His people. Make your relationship with Him your number one priority and be empowered by His presence each and every day!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Heavenly Father, I humbly come before You giving You all that I am. I surrender every area of my life to You and invite You to have Your way in my heart. Empower me with Your love as I daily set my focus on You in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Clothe Yourself

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“Clothe yourself with the Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah), and make no provision for [indulging] the flesh [put a stop to thinking about the evil cravings of your physical nature]...” (Romans 13:14, AMP)

Is there something in your life that you would like to put a stop to today? Maybe it’s a certain behavior, addiction or bad attitude that isn’t pleasing to God. When Adam and Eve disobeyed in the garden, the first thing God did was to put clothing on them. They needed to be covered. In the same way, you and I need to be covered today. What should we cover or clothe ourselves with?

When you “clothe yourself” with the Lord Jesus Christ, you will be protected and able to stand strong against temptation. How do you clothe yourself with Jesus Christ? First of all, when you receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you are covered and cleansed by His blood. You are restored and renewed. Then, just as you get dressed daily, you have to daily “cover” your mind with the Word of God. That means you cover every point that has access to your thoughts. Cover your ears by listening to the Word. Cover your eyes by watching only what is pleasing to the Lord. Cover your mouth by speaking the Word and encouraging those around you. As you cover yourself with Christ, you’ll be strong against temptation, you’ll walk in victory, and you’ll experience the good things He has in store for you!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus, to redeem me and restore me. Thank You for making me new and covering me so that I can stand strong against temptation. Today, I submit every area of my life to You and invite You to have Your way in me in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Just Can’t Help It!

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“We cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:20, NKJV)

Have you ever been so in awe by something that you just couldn’t help but talk about it to everyone you know? Maybe you were excited about a new relationship, a job or the birth of a child. But, nothing on earth can compare to what God wants to do in your life. He wants to amaze you with His goodness and overwhelm you with His love. He wants to do exceedingly, abundantly above all you could ever ask, think or imagine. He wants to do things in your life that you’ve never seen before. He wants to impact you in such a way that you can’t help but talk about Him!

The key starts with us. Our faith in God is what opens the door for Him to move and sets the blessing in motion. God has given every person a measure of faith. He has given us all the ability to believe and receive from Him. Romans 10:17 says that faith comes by hearing the Word of God. As you meditate on His Word and receive His promises by faith, He will move mightily on your behalf. It won’t be long before you just can’t help speaking about His goodness everywhere you go!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your goodness and faithfulness in my life. I choose to receive Your promises by faith. I choose to meditate on Your love. Thank You for working in my life. I keep my heart and mind open You in Jesus’ name. Amen.

At Just the Right Time

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up” (Galatians 6:9, NLT)

Are you praying for something that’s taking longer than you thought or expected? No matter how long you may have been standing on God’s promises, don’t give up! Your season is coming. Your harvest of blessing is on its way. It might be today, it might be tomorrow, it might be next week, next month or next year; but remember, at just the right time, you will experience your breakthrough.

Be encouraged today because God is faithful and His promises are true. Keep standing, keep hoping, keep believing. Keep doing good. Keep declaring the promises of God over your life. Choose to be around people who are going to encourage you and fill your heart and mind with God’s Word. Let a song of praise come out of your mouth. Press on in faith and keep an attitude of victory. Don’t get tired of doing what is right because your harvest of blessing is on the way!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your goodness and faithfulness in my life. Thank You for refreshing and renewing my heart. Fill me with Your peace; fill me with Your strength. Help me to do good and stand firm until I see my harvest of blessing in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Waiting

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“...Faith without works is dead” (James 2:20, NKJV)

Are you waiting for God to do something in your life? One thing I’ve learned is that waiting should not be a passive thing. When we’re waiting the correct way, we’re on the lookout. We talk like what we are believing for is going to happen. We act like it’s going to happen. We’re making preparations.

It’s just like when you’re expecting someone for dinner; you don’t wait till they show up before you decide to start cooking. Most likely you start early in the day. You make sure the house is clean, you go to the grocery store, and maybe you buy some flowers for the table. You make preparations because you’re expecting someone. Well, that’s the attitude we need to have while we’re waiting for God’s promises to come to pass. Put your faith to work. Prepare for the answer to come. Keep standing, keep believing, and keep hoping because your answer is on the way!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father God, I choose to put actions behind my faith today. I trust that You are at work in my life. I will wait the right way — with expectancy — knowing that my faith in You opens the door for Your hand to move in my life in Jesus’ name. Amen.