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

Without Him

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“...apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5, NIV)

Jesus put it this way, “Without Me, you can do nothing.” In this passage, He talks about a vine and branches. Just like a vine will die if it is cut apart from the vine, we also won’t survive without being vitally connected to Him.

How do we stay connected? First, by acknowledging Him. By talking to Him. By reading and following His Word. See, when you acknowledge God, that’s a sign of humility. You’re saying, “God, I know You created the whole universe. You flung the stars into space. You tell every raindrop where to fall. I’m not here by accident. You breathed Your life into me. You made me in Your image. You crowned me with Your favor. Now God, I can’t do this without You. I can’t make it on my own. I need You in my life.” When you show that kind of dependency on God, there is nothing He won’t do for you. God will move heaven and earth to get you to where you’re supposed to be.

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, today I choose to abide in You. I don’t want to live life on my own, so I choose to trust in You. Show me Your ways. Teach me Your love. Keep me close to You always in Jesus name. Amen.

Getting Quiet

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“Be still, and know that I am God...” (Psalm 46:10, NKJV)

So many people today find themselves caught up in the day-to-day busyness of life, driven to do more in less time. It seems people constantly strive to find ways to cram more into their already overcrowded schedules. But at the same time, God is constantly inviting us to step away from the hectic pace of life and come to Him to find rest for our souls. He invites us to be still before Him, to get quiet so we can hear His voice and set our hearts and minds at peace.

Every day, you should take time to read the scripture and meditate on God’s promises. Every time you’re in the car, put on some good praise music. Make it a point to spend time with God throughout the day. When you get quiet, say, “God, I love You, today. Lord, thank You for my life, my family, my dreams.” That’s what is going to keep you strong. That’s what’s going to keep you moving forward in the right direction.

Today, make it a point to be still before God. Quiet your mind of all the things on your agenda and just focus on Him. Let Him love you, let Him speak to your heart, and let Him fill you with peace and strength each and every day.

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, thank You for Your love and grace upon me. Right now, I let go of all the distractions of life and focus on You. I choose to be still, to get quiet before You and thank You for Your peace all the days of my life in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Take a Drink

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“But whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” (John 4:14, NKJV)

In the natural, every day, we get thirsty. Water is what we need to sustain life. When we are out in the heat or exerting our bodies physically, even more water is required to keep us hydrated and functioning optimally. Spiritually, we need water every day, too. We need to refresh our hearts and minds as much as we need to refresh our bodies. Jesus said, “I am the Living Water. If you drink of Me, you will never thirst again.”

During the day, we all have things that come against us spiritually. We all feel the heat, so to speak. It’s easy to get upset or stressed out, but that’s when you need to take a two-minute break and go drink of the Living Water. Get quiet and say, “God, I need You. I’m asking You, God, to help me stay strong. Help me to stay in peace.” Remember, Jesus is the only one who can truly satisfy your inner thirst. Turn to Him, receive from Him, and you will find rest and refreshing for your soul. Anytime you need to, just take a drink!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, right now I turn my heart and mind toward You and take a drink of Your living water. Thank You for filling me, for refreshing me, and for empowering me with everything I need in this life in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Call Out Seeds of Greatness

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“...God...calls those things which do not exist as though they did.” (Romans 4:17, NKJV)

Very often, we see potential in other people that they can’t see in themselves. When you speak vision into them, when you tell them what they can become, you can help set the direction for their life. Your words have the power to push people into their divine destiny. I believe that the reason some people are not living at their full potential is because no one has ever spoken faith into them. No one has taken the time to say, “Hey, you’re great at this. You’ve got a gift here. You’re going to do something amazing.”

I believe that one of our assignments in life is to call out the seeds of greatness in other people. Look around at who God has placed in your life. They’re not there by accident. Take time to study them. See what they’re good at. What are their gifts? What do they excel at? Don’t just think about it, speak vision into them. Tell them what they can become. Let your encouragement ignite the greatness on the inside. Help them rise up in confidence so they can be all God has called them to be!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, thank You for the people You’ve placed in my life. I choose to be faithful, to speak life and call forth the greatness in them. Thank You for bringing me to new levels as I help others rise higher, too, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Live with an Eternal Perspective

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“...It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35, NIV)

So much of our culture is inward focused. People are conditioned to think, “What’s in it for me?” But the most rewarding way to live is not with the attitude, “How can I get blessed today?” No, if we are always self-focused wondering how we can benefit, that’s living with a shallow, temporary mentality. Instead of looking out only for your good, turn it around and say, “How can I be a blessing to others? Who can I inspire to rise higher? What seeds of greatness can I call forth out of someone?” Friend, that’s living at a higher level.

Today, I encourage you to be on the lookout for ways to be a blessing to other people. It’s amazing how one word of encouragement can change the direction of a person’s life forever. When you reach out and speak faith over others, when you speak vision and cause others to rise higher, something supernatural happens to your own life. It won’t be long before you see yourself excelling and rising up higher when you live with an eternal perspective!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, help me to live with an eternal perspective. Help me to stay focused on meeting the needs of others. Let me be Your hands and feet, let me be Your mouthpiece and bring You glory in everything I do in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Speak Vision

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” (Proverbs 18:21, NIV)

Every word you speak matters. Something you say may seem insignificant to you, but to someone else those words can be life changing. When you use your words to lift someone’s spirit and speak words of vision and life over them, you are depositing seeds that will last throughout eternity.

It's especially important to speak vision into our children. As a parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, teacher or friend, the children in your life need to hear on a regular basis that they can do something great with their lives. As parents, our words carry incredible weight. That’s why you should never put a child down. Don’t ever say, “You’re slow, clumsy or dumb. Why can’t you make good grades like your sister? Why can’t you hit the baseball like your cousin?” Those words are seeds. They can take root and affect that child many years later. Too many people have been crippled by low expectations. But today, all of that can change. Today, you can start to speak vision over yourself and over the people in your life. Today, you can call out the seeds of greatness in others and stir up the gift of God inside. Today, speak life, speak hope and speak vision!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, today I choose to speak life. I choose to speak hope. I choose to speak vision. Let me see the people in my life the way You see them. Let me see the potential You have placed in them so that I can call forth their seeds of greatness in Jesus’ name. Amen.

When Things Are Out of Control

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“Good sense makes a man restrain his anger, and it is his glory to overlook a transgression or an offense.” (Proverbs 19:11, AMP)

Every day, we have opportunities to get upset, be frustrated, or get offended. Maybe you had plans that didn’t work out, or someone was rude to you at the office. Maybe you were doing something that should have taken one hour and it ended up taking three. Life is full of inconveniences, but even though we can’t always control our circumstances, we can control our reaction. I heard somebody say, “Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you respond.”

We should always go out each day with a positive attitude, full of hope and expecting God’s favor. But at the same time, we should recognize that most days are not going to go exactly as we plan. Remember, we were created to live in peace. Peace is our position of power. If you get stressed because you got off schedule or upset because your child wouldn’t eat his breakfast, or frustrated because somebody offended you, what you’re doing is giving away your power. Instead, make the decision to release those offenses and disappointments so you can live in peace and enjoy the day as the blessing God prepared for you!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father in heaven, today I release every care, concern, offense and disappointment to You. I choose to keep the peace that You have given me. I look forward to today knowing that You are with me, leading me in victory in Jesus’ name! Amen.

It’s Coming

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“...Though it tarries, wait for it; because it will surely come...” (Habakkuk 2:3, NKJV)

If you will keep God first in everything you do, He promises that He is going to crown your efforts with success. Because you diligently seek Him, a reward is coming. Favor is coming. Good breaks are coming. Promotion is coming. A shift is coming. Healing is coming. Restoration is coming. It may seem like it’s taking a long time; you may feel like you’ve been holding on forever, but keep holding on. The promise will be fulfilled through faith and patience.

Waiting doesn’t mean do nothing; it means get prepared. Now is the time to get ready. God doesn’t want you to live an average, ordinary life. Because you depend on Him, He is going to increase you. You are going to bear much fruit. He is going to make you more productive. You’re going to get more done in less time. He is going to make your life easier and take you where you could not go on your own. It’s going to be greater than you ever even dreamed of. Get ready because it’s coming — every promise you’ve stood in faith for, every dream He’s placed in your heart that you’ve contended for is coming to fruition in Jesus’ name!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, thank You for Your faithfulness and goodness in my life. I know that through faith and patience I will receive Your promises. Help me to be ready; show me what to do so that I am in position to receive everything You have prepared for me in Jesus’ name. Amen.

When Things Are Out of Control

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“Good sense makes a man restrain his anger, and it is his glory to overlook a transgression or an offense.” (Proverbs 19:11, AMP)

Every day, we have opportunities to get upset, be frustrated, or get offended. Maybe you had plans that didn’t work out, or someone was rude to you at the office. Maybe you were doing something that should have taken one hour and it ended up taking three. Life is full of inconveniences, but even though we can’t always control our circumstances, we can control our reaction. I heard somebody say, “Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you respond.”

We should always go out each day with a positive attitude, full of hope and expecting God’s favor. But at the same time, we should recognize that most days are not going to go exactly as we plan. Remember, we were created to live in peace. Peace is our position of power. If you get stressed because you got off schedule or upset because your child wouldn’t eat his breakfast, or frustrated because somebody offended you, what you’re doing is giving away your power. Instead, make the decision to release those offenses and disappointments so you can live in peace and enjoy the day as the blessing God prepared for you!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father in heaven, today I release every care, concern, offense and disappointment to You. I choose to keep the peace that You have given me. I look forward to today knowing that You are with me, leading me in victory in Jesus’ name! Amen.

Who God Rewards

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6, NIV)

Do you see God as a rewarder today? Notice this verse doesn’t say that God rewards those who “deserve” it, or those who have “earned” it. It doesn’t say that God rewards those who act perfectly and never make mistakes. No, God’s blessing isn’t based on our performance; it’s based on our faith — our belief in Him and His goodness. In fact, one verse says that He longs to be good to those who are looking for His goodness!

I encourage you today to spend some time meditating on His goodness and dwelling on His faithfulness. Look for Him and expect Him to act. Spend some time reading the Psalms and begin to praise and thank Him for all He is doing. Open your eyes of faith and see all of the wonderful things He has prepared for you. Let His Word shape your thoughts, and remember, He is a rewarder! He wants to bless you today because you earnestly seek after Him!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father God, thank You for Your Word which fills my heart with faith. I believe that You are good and You are a rewarder of those who seek after You. I seek You today. I acknowledge You and thank You for revealing Yourself to me in Jesus’ name. Amen.