Category: Thoughts

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Gratitude

On By Words of hope for todayIn devotional, Encouragement, Faith, God, goodnews, help, Holy Spirit, Hope, inspirational, Jesus, life, Love, Mind, motivation, peace, positive thinking, positivity, prayer, Reflection, Spiritual, Thoughts, truth, UncategorizedLeave a comment

While I was praying recently, the Holy Spirit encouraged me to develop a deeper attitude of gratitude by being grateful for who Jesus is, even more than for what He does. Gratitude is truly the best attitude, yet human nature often leads us to whine more than we thank. We are surrounded by people who speak the language of complaining fluently, and the more we hear it, the easier it is to pick it up ourselves. However, there is a danger in this habit, as the Lord never instructed us to whine our way through life. Instead, 1 Thessalonians 5:18 commands us to give thanks in all circumstances.

It is easy to take our daily blessings for granted, forgetting that what we consider routine might be someone else’s miracle. While we may expect three warm meals a day as a given, there are many who would view that as a significant breakthrough. A heart of gratitude sees everything as a big deal and rejoices over even the smallest details. Gratitude finds every possible opportunity to say thank you, recognizing that nothing we have is too small to be appreciated. When we stop underestimating what we have, we begin to see the abundance of the Lord’s provision in every area of our lives.

Saying “Thank You, Lord” is a powerful statement that confirms God is active in your life and keeps you in alignment with His Word. Obeying the call to be thankful is the beginning of wisdom, and the most crucial time to practice this is when things are not going well. Gratitude changes the atmosphere and places you on a level where faith can hold you up. When life gets tough, your attitude of gratitude should be even tougher. It is time to forget the lyrics to the song of complaining and make thanksgiving your daily melody. By focusing on who God is—His love, His Spirit, and His sacrifice—gratitude becomes a transformative way of life.

Suggested Reading: 1 Chronicles 16:34; Colossians 3:15; Colossians 3:17

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His Name

On By Words of hope for todayIn Blessing, Christianity, devotional, Encouragement, Faith, God, goodnews, help, inspirational, Jesus, life, Love, Mind, motivation, Thoughts, truth, UncategorizedLeave a comment

During a deep conversation with a friend recently, the simple mention of the name Jesus caused tears to flood my eyes. I was completely overwhelmed by the beauty of His name and the magnitude of His sacrifice. We often hear in church that His name is above all names, but it is truly the name that surpasses all others in authority, love, and power. It is the one name that, when called upon, can change the most desperate situations for the best. Whether we need healing, transformation, or comfort, His name is the answer that remains the same through every generation. It is a name we should celebrate and cry out to daily.

I make it a point to talk to Jesus every day, engaging in meaningful conversations through His Spirit. I enjoy using His name as the bookends for my day, making it the first name I say in the morning and the last name I speak at night. A day spent without being conscious of Jesus feels incomplete, as He deserves to be at the forefront of our lives rather than on the back burner. His name is synonymous with salvation, freedom, and deliverance. When we use the name of Jesus, adversity must flee. James 4:7 encourages us to resist the devil, and using the powerful name of the Son of God is the ultimate way to intimidate the enemy.

It is a common habit to turn to God primarily when we face problems, but we should be calling on His name constantly. Deliverance through Him is not a one-time event; it should be a daily occurrence in both big and small matters. I once heard a story about a woman who used the name of Jesus even when her vacuum cleaner gave her trouble, reminding us that God cares about every aspect of our lives. We should make a deliberate effort today to speak the name above all names. As Acts 4:12 states, there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.

Suggested Reading: John 14:6; Acts 4:30; Philippians 2:9-11

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Opened Doors

On By Words of hope for todayIn devotional, Encouragement, Faith, God, goodnews, help, Holy Spirit, Hope, inspirational, Jesus, life, Love, Mind, Thoughts, truth, UncategorizedLeave a comment

We are all familiar with the saying that when one door closes, another one opens. However, it is even more powerful to recognize that God knows how to open doors that no one can shut. We sometimes struggle with this, fearing that a strong wind—perhaps a setback or a trial—could come and blow those doors shut. In reality, the Lord can keep doors open for a lifetime. We should shift our perspective to believe that when God opens a door, it stays open. As we move from glory to glory, as mentioned in 2 Corinthians 3:18, we experience constant increase and improvement, walking through the opportunities He has secured for us.

If you ever feel like the doors God opened are starting to close, it is important to think again. God is a good Father who does not give us a blessing only to take it away. While the enemy may grab the handle and pull with all his might to shut the door, he cannot succeed against the Lord’s power. Often, a closing door is merely an optical illusion or a trick of the mind designed by the enemy to make us stop trusting God. Believing these fake depictions is a trap that can lead to losing the peace of your blessing. Instead of yielding to doubt, we should command the enemy to let go and continue to trust in the Lord’s original promise.

While God opens doors of opportunity, He also expects us to handle the doors of our past. If you feel a cold breeze coming through your open door, it may be a sign that there are doors you need to close yourself. These could be the doors of old strongholds, religious mindsets, or habits that distract you from your relationship with Him. Pray for the Lord to show you which areas need to be sealed off so you can fully enjoy the new opportunities ahead. By staying in the Lord and keeping His word, you can walk through the open doors mentioned in Revelation 3:8, knowing that your little power is amplified by His great strength.

Suggested Reading: Psalm 24:7; Matthew 7:7; Revelation 3:20

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God Bless You

On By Words of hope for todayIn Blessing, devotional, Encouragement, Faith, God, help, Holy Spirit, Hope, Thoughts, Uncategorized, wisdomLeave a comment

We say the phrase God bless you all the time, and the truth is that He truly does bless you. You are blessed beyond what you currently know and in more ways than you can imagine. Whether it is morning or evening, God is actively blessing you. He loves to bless His children because He is the best Father in existence, and His blessings are everlasting. Right now, He is lining up blessings for you that you aren’t even aware of yet. He is arranging good breaks and perfect situations behind the scenes so that you can receive His favor. Just because we don’t always see Him in action doesn’t mean He isn’t working on your situation at this very moment.

To understand what it means to be blessed, we can look at the extensive definition found in Genesis 27:28-29. This passage speaks of God giving the dew of heaven and the richness of the earth, including an abundance of grain and wine. It describes a position of favor and protection where those who bless you are blessed. This biblical definition is vast and covers every area of life. Perhaps we sometimes miss out on this abundance because we are not fully informed about it and therefore lack the faith to expect it. From the very beginning, the Lord intended to bless us with riches from both heaven and earth, notably mentioning the heavenly blessings first.

God blesses us with heavenly privileges, and it is time we learn exactly what that implies for our lives. It means we are entitled to a divine relationship with the Holy Spirit and to operate in the supernatural through His gifts. Our blessings are first and foremost spiritual, and we access them through faith. However, these blessings also include dominion over the earth, meaning that the best provisions and fruit of the land belong to us. God grants us favor with people and blesses us emotionally and materially. He protects us from harm and, most wonderfully, blesses us so that we can become a blessing to others. Stay conscious of your position in Him and stay blessed.

Suggested Reading: Psalm 23:1-4; Philippians 4:19; James 1:17

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Blue Sky

On By Words of hope for todayIn Blessing, devotional, Encouragement, Faith, God, help, Holy Spirit, Hope, inspirational, peace, positive thinking, positivity, prayer, Thoughts, truthLeave a comment

I remember a day that  was forecasted to be dreary, rainy, and stormy. While it did rain occasionally, the predicted thunderstorms never arrived. Instead, around 4 pm, a beautiful blue sky appeared quite unexpectedly. The weather was so lovely that I felt a rainbow was about to crown the landscape. This change occurred right after a productive meeting at work, and it felt as though the Lord was opening doors and smiling at me through the beauty of the heavens. I felt rejuvenated and filled with relief. When I returned home, I entered a season of intense praise, expressing my love for the Lord with my entire being. I experienced a true Holy Spirit moment of exuberant joy and amplified love, speaking to the Lord under what felt like an open heaven.

There are many times in life when we predict bad weather for our circumstances, imagining the worst-case scenarios and expecting misery. However, the Lord often surprises us by opening the skies and shining His presence upon us. He comes out of nowhere to take us somewhere new. Even when we feel our situation will never improve, He proves us wrong by bringing us to a place where the grass is greener and the sky is blue. If you are currently in a difficult weather pattern and do not know when the rain will stop, know that the Lord is about to open the skies over you. He will keep you still through the storm and provide perfect conditions for your soul. He can move the entire climate of your life just so you can feel warm and safe again. Rain or shine, the Lord is in control, and warmer weather is on your doorstep.

The Bible records several instances of an open heaven, most significantly when the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus at His baptism. Matthew 3:16-17 describes the heavens opening and the Father declaring His pleasure in His Son. An open heaven always involves the Spirit of the Lord, and where the Spirit is, there is liberty. This atmosphere naturally leads to praise because that is what His Spirit inspires within us. Friend, your open heaven is coming, and great things happen in that space. God is about to remove the dark clouds and pour out blessings and revelations of hope for a future brighter than your yesterday. Do not dwell on old, ugly weather patterns. The sun is always shining somewhere, and the Lord will bring that light directly to you. Stay encouraged!

Suggested Reading: Acts 9:5; Acts 10; Revelation 4:1-2

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Keep Your Head Up

On By Words of hope for todayIn Blessing, devotional, Encouragement, Faith, God, goodnews, help, inspirational, Jesus, Love, Mind, motivation, peace, positive thinking, positivity, prayer, Thoughts, truth, wisdomLeave a comment

Psalm 46:1-3 tells us that God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, even if the earth gives way or the mountains fall into the heart of the sea. These are incredible verses to start the week with because they remind us that we have a refuge that is both constant and reliable. This week, I want to encourage you to keep your head up and hold that position. You are strong and protected, and that is the absolute truth. You do not have to look down in fear. Instead, you should be looking up because that is the direction you are headed. Even if your world is turned upside down by unforeseen trials, God remains your strength. His help will be present from Monday all the way through Sunday.

Keeping your head up is a sign of confidence. It demonstrates that no matter what happens, you know things will eventually be fine. While some people find strength in themselves, we keep our heads up because we know God is our backup and He knows exactly what He is doing. Consider David, who was both a king and a warrior. I can picture him keeping his head up while facing his enemies because he knew where his power originated. He possessed a shield of protection stronger than anything in the natural world, and the same is true for us today. We are warriors of the Lord equipped with a shield that can extinguish any fiery dart. Our enemies today may not be people, but rather negative thoughts, trials, and tribulations. Jesus has already conquered the ultimate enemy for us, so no matter what you face this week, keep your head up. Your problems may appear huge, but they will not win.

Keeping our heads up also means we refuse to look down or act defeated. Regardless of what comes our way, we must continue to pray, praise, and worship. We must persevere in hope and let it beat in unison with love. If a problem arises this week, remember that there is a David inside of you who can face any giant or Goliath because the Lord is your shield. Sometimes it actually takes a giant to help you realize just how much strength you truly possess. Keep the faith and remember that you are fighting the good fight of faith. You are a warrior of the Lord, and everything has already been taken care of. Stay strong, keep your head high, and have a great week.

Suggested Reading: Psalm 46; Psalm 91; Philippians 4:13

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The Giant Of Overthinking

On By Words of hope for todayIn devotional, Encouragement, Faith, God, help, Holy Spirit, Hope, inspirational, Jesus, Love, Mind, motivation, peace, positive thinking, positivity, prayer, Thoughts, truth, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Overthinking is rarely about good things; in fact, it is almost never about the positive for most people. We don’t typically lie awake at night dwelling on how blessed we are until we can’t sleep. Instead, overthinking is the act of dwelling on the worst-case scenario and imagining frightening situations that we would hesitate to even say out loud. If the walls of our minds could talk, they would reveal the wildest and most fearful things ever conceived. This process is essentially mental bullying by the enemy. Bullying is the repeated use of strength to intimidate others, and “repeated” is the key word here. The enemy is relentless, trying to intimidate you over and over with negative thoughts, but shifting your focus to Jesus can put an end to this mental abuse.

I have found that attacking overthinking with spoken words is incredibly effective. Speaking positivity out loud is much stronger than the silent thoughts in our heads, even when those thoughts seem loud. Turning up the volume of praises to the Lord helps keep these thoughts in check. For example, when I am driving and overthinking begins to tag along, I say out loud that God is on my side and nothing is impossible with Him. I do this frequently, sometimes repeating it hundreds of times. The more I hear it, the more it sinks into my spirit until my mind begins to align with that truth. It becomes real and far more powerful than any lie attempting to work up my mind. I encourage you to try this, as you will not be disappointed.

Overthinking is a giant that we must tackle and keep on the floor. It is a Goliath that many have faced for centuries. When David faced the original Goliath, he believed his God was bigger than that giant, and today your God is bigger, wider, and stronger than the giant of overthinking. David used a stone to defeat his enemy, hitting him in the center of the forehead. You should use the “stone” of the Word of God by throwing scriptures at your mind to defeat that giant every time. Refuse to dwell on bad thoughts and instead take action by calling on the Holy Spirit. No thought or weapon formed against you shall prosper. To counter an excess of thinking, you need an excess of something good, such as over-praising, over-exposure to the Lord, and over-communication through the Holy Spirit. Overload your spirit with the Lord and your mind will follow.

Suggested Reading; Jeremiah 33:3; Proverbs 4:23; Romans 12:2

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10 NUGGETS OF WISDOM FOR YOUR SATURDAY (Part 413)

On By Words of hope for todayIn Culture, devotional, Encouragement, Faith, God, goodnews, help, Holy Spirit, Hope, inspirational, Jesus, life, Love, Mind, motivation, Thoughts, truth, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Your thinking can be a fortress of hope or a stronghold of doubt. Tear down the walls of negative thinking in your head with the hammer of faith.

Speak life into your life. Speak about good things. Speak about the blessings of God. Highlight the wonderful things God is doing for you and your life will get better.

Listen to wisdom. Listen to what God has to say. Spend time in meditation and listen to the words of hope that flow from God to your spirit. If what you hear is negative, it is not from God. If what you hear doesn’t lead to love, it is not from God. Wisdom from God is anchored in love and hope.

There is always security in the Lord. There is always safety. With God you can be sure that you are protected and covered. Believe it and thank Him for His ongoing protection.

God is going to upgrade you. He is going to give you a reboot and He is going to reset your life. The old is gone. The new is in. Expect God to improve your life and to give you a new start.

Click on the parts of your life that need to be changed. Click on them by handing them over to God. He will delete and erase those areas that need to be altered. Click with a prayer. Click with a prayer of surrender. Click with faith. Click and delete in the name of Jesus!

God will make your path straight even when you are going through the valleys of the shadow of death you will experience clarity and a defined road. He has a road paved for you that leads to great success. Keep that in mind!

Conform to the patterns of the Lord. Conform to love, to kindness, to peace, to joy, to patience and to long-suffering. Conform to the ways of the Lord and you will be a light of hope in this world!

God leaves you peace. He leaves it with you. It doesn’t go ahead but your mind and your circumstances are very good at hiding it away from you. Peace is not gone. It’s right there with you. Tap into it!
Hope in the Lord and your strength will be renewed. You will laugh again. You will smile again. You will believe again. You will walk with confidence again. Hope in the Lord and your spirit will be strengthened.

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Everything Is Possible With God

On By Words of hope for todayIn devotional, Encouragement, Faith, God, goodnews, Holy Spirit, Hope, inspirational, Love, Mind, motivation, peace, positive thinking, positivity, Thoughts, truth, UncategorizedLeave a comment

“By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but Him who sent me” (John 5:30). This is Jesus talking to the Jewish leaders who were persecuting Him because He had just healed someone on the Sabbath. I want to bring your attention to the beginning of this verse: Jesus Himself said that by Himself, He could do nothing.

How many of us are able to see that we are nothing on our own? How many can recognize that we are truly dependent on the Lord? If Jesus believed it, it is time for us to start thinking the same way. Could it be that we often try to do things in our own strength when we should really be relying on Him? The answer is a resounding “Yes!”

When I was in high school, I became very confident in my studies. There was a point when I thought I could learn anything and do well on any assessment. I have to admit I was a bit cocky because I excelled in certain subjects; I was the strongest student in English throughout my entire school career. However, cockiness is dangerous because it makes you think you are better than others.

Arrogance is ugly and will deplete your spiritual stamina. With my academic confidence came a sense of self-reliance in other parts of my life. Before I knew it, I was trying to put “me first” and God second. It doesn’t work that way. We need to try God first and God second. He should be our first choice, our second choice, and our only choice! There should be no other options.

People often say it is important to have a “Plan B.” While being practical is great, if God is your Plan A, there won’t be a need for a Plan B. Making God our Plan A means acknowledging that He is our first resort. We accomplish so many things in life that would have been impossible without the Lord. Half the time we don’t even realize it, but it is the truth.

Proverbs 16:9 says, “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.” Your lucky breaks are not coincidences, and your blessings are not just luck; the Lord is behind the scenes all the time. I don’t want to fall back into that teenage arrogance. I can’t do life alone. The best remedy is to keep my eyes on the Lord and make Him my priority. We are never alone, so let’s act accordingly.

Suggested reading: Psalm 16:8; Psalm 121:1-3; John 15:5

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Keep Going

On By Words of hope for todayIn Blessing, Encouragement, Faith, God, goodnews, help, Holy Spirit, Hope, inspirational, Jesus, life, Love, Mind, motivation, peace, positive thinking, positivity, prayer, Spiritual, Thoughts, Uncategorized, wisdomLeave a comment

My students have a good handle on specific grammatical concepts and are more comfortable with certain vocabulary words than others. They are very good at asking for help or giving advice in French, but they struggle a bit more when it comes to inquiring about a new topic. I’ve noticed that what makes a difference is the amount of time we spend on a particular concept; practice and repeated exposure help them retain information better.

I tell them that practice is their friend and that they need to become even better acquainted with him. The same is true in our Christian walk. Praying becomes easier with practice, and hearing from God becomes almost second nature when we invest time into it. Even praising or reading the Word requires practice. The more we expose ourselves to these disciplines, the easier they become. Practice is, in fact, a very biblical idea.

In Proverbs 4:20-21, the Lord says, “My son, pay attention to what I say; turn your ears to My words. Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart.” Keeping God’s words in front of us means looking at them over and over again. The verb “keep” denotes consistency and repetition; if you keep reading the Word, it implies you are doing so repeatedly.

How do we grow in knowledge of the Lord? By repeatedly spending time in His Word—there is no way around it. When we learn a language, repetition helps us acquire vocabulary and sentence structure. If you want to learn the “language of the Word” and understand His structure, you must keep His Word on repeat. Reading it once a month won’t feed us spiritually, just as feeding your body once a month wouldn’t sustain you physically.

I believe prayer came to me more easily because of the Holy Spirit, but I still had to be consistent to reach a place of ease. I had to discipline myself to pray at least twice a day. The Bible instructs us to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17), which again emphasizes doing it more than once. We ought to be praying all the time because it changes us and helps us recognize God’s voice.

The more I practice relying on Him, the more I build my faith. We cannot expect to grow if we don’t take the time to delve into the Word, get to know the Holy Spirit, and listen. It takes dedication, but it yields great results. Let’s practice the Christian walk and put in the time. Practice being in His presence so you know how to react when you are out in the world. Keep at it—prayer and praise will become second nature!Suggested reading: Proverbs 2:2; Proverbs 5:1; Proverbs 7:2