FourEyedCoffeeMonster

spiritualinspiration:

A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps. Proverbs 16:9, NKJV.

Oftentimes, God will use our experiences in life as stepping stones to prepare us for what He has in store next. Scripture tells us that He’ll even take the things the enemy tries to bring against us and turn them around and use them for our good. He is always leading us on a journey of preparation.

That’s why it’s so important to keep our eyes focused on Him. We have to trust that when we are submitted to Him—even if we don’t understand—He is ordering our steps. If something is not happening on your timetable, remind yourself, “God knows what He is doing. He has my best interest at heart. God is preparing me.” While you’re waiting, don’t make the mistake of trying to figure everything out. If you’re constantly trying to figure things out, that will only frustrate you. Turn it over to God. Declare, “God, my times are in Your hands. I’m not going to worry because I trust that You are leading me on a journey of preparation for all the wonderful blessings You have in store for me.”

A Prayer for Today

Father, thank You for Your goodness and faithfulness in my life. I trust that You are leading and guiding me. I trust that You are preparing me for all the wonderful blessings You have in store for me in Jesus’ name. Amen.

spiritualinspiration:

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God. Ephesians 2:8, NKJV.

We serve such a loving, gracious and generous God. He loves you so much that there isn’t anything He wouldn’t do in order to have a relationship with you. The Bible tells us that sin separates man from God. But God doesn’t want to be separated from us. That’s why He sent His Son into the world—to pay the penalty for sin so that you and I could live in eternity with Him.

So many people today think they have to earn their way to heaven. They think they have to be “good enough” or “do the right thing” in order to be accepted by God. They want to “clean up” before they come to Him. But notice what today’s verse says—salvation is a gift from God. You can’t earn a gift. You don’t pay for it. You can only receive it by faith. If you’ve never made Jesus the Lord of your life, I encourage you to receive this free gift. Let Him fill you with His eternal peace and joy so that you can live the abundant life He has for you.

Prayer for Today:

Father in heaven, I come to You today giving You all that I am. Thank You for the gift of salvation through Your Son, Jesus. I believe He died and rose for me, and I invite You to be the Lord of every area of my life in Jesus’ name. Amen.

(Source: mineralbison)

spiritualinspiration:

Today, many people are walking around not knowing who they really are. Not naturally speaking, of course, but spiritually speaking. Once you receive Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, you take on a new identity — His identity. Everything He is, you become. Because Jesus is an overcomer, you are an overcomer (1 John 4:4). Because Jesus is more than a conqueror, you are more than a conqueror (Romans 8:37). You become empowered to do all things through Christ who gives you strength (Philippians 4:13)!

(Source: hegreaterthankaimana)

spiritualinspiration:

“Above all else guard your heart for it affects everything you do” (Proverbs 4:23).

These days, we hear a lot about detoxing our physical bodies. Bacteria can build up. Pesticides and chemicals can get into our system. Experts recommend that you go through a deep cleansing periodically and stay away from what is harmful so you can rid yourself of these toxins.
In the same way, there are all kinds of toxins that can build up in our minds. When we go around dwelling on the wrong thoughts, thinking about what we can’t do, how somebody hurt us, or how we’ll never get ahead; those thoughts are toxic. And toxic thoughts left alone become like toxic waste. It gets into your heart, and eventually, contaminates your whole life. It affects your self-image, your attitude, and your level of confidence. That’s why the Bible tells us that we have to guard our hearts and minds above all else because if your mind gets polluted, your whole life is going to be polluted.

Make the decision today to go on a fast from negative, self-defeating thoughts. Cleanse your mind from what is harmful and fill yourself with thoughts of faith and victory. As you do, those good thoughts will strengthen and empower you to live the good life He has planned for you!

spiritualinspiration:

“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made…” (Psalm 139:14, NIV)

Throughout life, people are constantly sticking labels on us, telling us what we can and cannot become. And sometimes this is good. People speak faith into us. They encourage us. But then, there are times that people put negative labels on us. You cannot stop the negative comments. You can’t prevent the negative labels, but you can choose to remove them.

As a teenager, Walt Disney was told by his art instructor that he wasn’t creative. He didn’t have any imagination. Disney was smart enough to remove that label. He went on to do pretty well. Lucille Ball was told that she didn’t have any acting skills. She should try a different profession. She removed that label. Winston Churchill failed the sixth grade. He was told he wasn’t smart enough. He went on to become one of the greatest Prime Ministers that ever lived. The common denominator in the success of these people is that they chose to remove the negative labels. It’s the same way today. Don’t focus on what others say; focus on what God says. Remove the negative labels and embrace who God created you to be.

spiritualinspiration:

When something is toxic, it’s poisonous; it can destroy you. When we go around dwelling on the wrong thoughts, thinking about what we can’t do or how we’ll never get ahead, those thoughts are toxic thoughts. Toxic thoughts left alone become like toxic waste that sinks into your heart. It will eventually contaminate your whole life. It affects your self-image. It affects your attitude, your level of confidence, and ultimately, your success. That’s why the scripture says to guard your heart because the condition of your heart and mind determine the condition of your whole life.

Make the decision today to detox any negative, self-defeating thoughts by meditating on God’s promises instead. Make the decision to detox bitterness, detox low self-esteem, detox negative words that may have been spoken over you, detox condemnation. Make the decision to dwell on what God says about you. God says, “You are forgiven.” God says, “Your best days are in front of you.” God says, “I’ll restore the years that the enemy has stolen.” As you detox your mind and fill your thoughts with His promises, you’ll see His hand of blessing on your life. You’ll rise up higher, and you’ll live the abundant life He has for you!

spiritualinspiration:

But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart. (1 Samuel 16:7)

spiritualinspiration:

God is not waiting for you to become a better person before He forgives you. Jesus paid the price on the cross for all our sins – “while we were yet sinners Christ died for us,” the Bible says in Romans 5:8. He did it simply because He loves you and wants to have a relationship with you.

And the result of this astounding, unconditional love and total forgiveness is that we no longer have to live under the condemnation and guilt of sin. We can live the abundant life that Jesus talked about – a life full of hope, a life of purpose, a life of unlimited potential.

spiritualinspiration:

“The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion.” (Proverbs 28:1, NKJV)

As a believer in Jesus Christ, you are called to live a bold, confident and overcoming life. You don’t have to live under the weight and pressure of fear. You don’t have to live with daily anxiety. Because of Jesus, fear, worry and uncertainty are beneath you. When you rise up in faith, knowing that God is with you and for you, all doubt and fear has to leave your life.

Notice that today’s scripture says that the righteous are as bold as a lion. Righteousness is God’s way of doing things. When you do things His way, when you are submitted to His plan for your life, He will empower you with boldness and strength. He will equip you to walk in His victory.

Today, if you’ve been feeling anxious or fearful, begin to declare God’s truth over your life which will set you free! Declare that you are righteous in Christ Jesus. Declare that you are more than a conqueror. Declare that you are as bold as a lion because you are a child of the Most High God!

spiritualinspiration:

“…If God be for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31, KJV)

So often when difficulties come, people tend to feel overwhelmed, unequipped, or outnumbered. They shrink back or look for an easy way out or a place to hide. But that’s not God´s best for us. He never intended for us to be consumed by our challenges; He intends for us to overcome our challenges!

If you´re facing a difficulty today, it´s time to dig your heels in, stand strong, and show the enemy what you´re made of! Remember, you aren´t alone in the fight; God is with you. He´s promised to never leave you nor forsake you. Just like the scripture says, if God is for you who can be against you? Friend, you and God are a majority. There´s no weapon, no enemy, no challenge, no disease, no failure, there´s nothing that can overtake you when God is on your side!

I encourage you today; choose an attitude of faith and victory. Keep declaring His promises over your life. Be bold and stand strong because God promises that He has victory in store for the upright. As you keep that attitude of faith, you´ll rise above those difficulties and walk in the freedom He´s prepared for you!

spiritualinspiration:

Today, I want to remind you of what God says about you. No matter what’s happening in your life today, remember: you are not limited by your resources, your family or your background. Almighty God has equipped and empowered you. He has given you creativity, ideas, inventions, skills and talents. Don’t you dare settle for a mediocre life! Today, I call forth the seeds of greatness inside of you.

Today, I declare that your best days are ahead. That you are going to go further than anyone in your family ever did; that you are going to dream bigger and live higher. I declare that you are a leader, an influencer, a minister of reconciliation. You are the fragrance of God to the nations.

Before anyone put a curse on you, God Almighty put a blessing on you. Walk and live in that blessing by following His commands and staying fully committed to Him in everything you do!

spiritualinspiration:

10 Great Bible Passages about God’s Protection

Psalm 91:1-2, ESV He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the LORD, My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.

Psalm 5:11, NIV But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you.

Psalm 121:1-8, NIV I lift up my eyes to the hills – where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip-he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD watches over you – the LORD is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD will keep you from all harm-he will watch over your life; the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.

Psalm 18:2, NIV The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

Psalm 32:7, NIV You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.

Psalm 27:1, NIV The LORD is my light and my salvation-whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life – of whom shall I be afraid?

Matthew 18:10, ESV See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.

1 John 5:18, ESV We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him.

1 Peter 3:12-14, NIV For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened.”

2 Samuel 22:3-4, ESV my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge, my savior; you save me from violence. I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies.

spiritualinspiration:

“Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:11-12, NLT)

God has equipped us to stand and fight every battle we will face in life. The Bible tells us in Ephesians chapter 6 that we are to put on the whole armor of God—everything that He has equipped us with. The armor tells a lot about how we are to fight our battles. If you study the armor of God, you’ll find that it only mentions things that cover the front of us. It talks about wearing the breastplate of righteousness which covers our chest, our heart. It talks about having our loins girt about with truth; it tells us to put on the helmet of salvation, and to protect our steps with the shoes of peace. Then it mentions the shield of faith and the sword of the Spirit.

But notice, interestingly enough, not one piece of that armor covers our back. Why is that? It’s because God never intended for us to be running from the enemy. If you’re running from adversity, then you’re leaving yourself wide open to the enemy. But if you’ll put on the whole armor of God and stand on His Word, you’ll move forward into the victory God has already prepared for you!

A Prayer for Today

Father in heaven, thank You for equipping me to overcome every challenge and obstacle I will ever face in life. I choose to put on the whole armor so that I can stand in victory the way You intend. I bless You always. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

(Source: puertorico116)