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Who redeems your life from destruction, who crowns you with loving kindness and tender mercies… Psalm 103:4 Where would you be if God had not redeemed you from your wrong choices? You were headed down the wrong path, doing things that you knew were not God’s best, but you encountered the God who overrules. He loves you too much to let you miss your purpose. Today’s Scripture talks about the tender mercies of God—not “mercy” but “mercies.” Again and again, God shows you mercy. His mercies are new and available to you every morning. You may have made a lot of mistakes, but the good news is, you don’t have to carry that around with you. Do you feel like there’s something between you and God right now? Come to His throne of grace and receive His mercy. Ask for His forgiveness for every failure. Don’t carry around yesterday’s mistakes any longer. Let Him refresh and restore your soul right now.

It so happened that Aram, on one of its raiding expeditions against Israel, captured a young girl who became a maid to Naaman’s wife. One day she said to her mistress, “Oh, if only my master could meet the prophet of Samaria, he would be healed of his skin disease. 2 Kings 5: 2-3 Naaman was the commander of the Syrian army that had captured a young Israelite girl and brought her back as his wife’s maid. You can imagine how her life was turned upside down. Taken from her family and friends into a foreign country, she barely understood the language. Her hopes and dreams were shattered, and it’s all because of Naaman. You would think she hated him. But whenever he came home and took off his armor, hidden underneath was the leprosy, eating away his body. She could have thought, “I hope you die.” But instead, she was full of mercy and offered the remedy through which he was completely healed. All because she showed kindness to someone who had done her wrong. It’s easy to hold a grudg...

That is what is meant by Scriptures which say that no mere men has ever seen, heard, or even imagined what wonderful things God has ready for those who love the Lord. 1 Corinthians 2:9 God’s dream for your life is so much bigger than your own. What He has in your future is going to boggle your mind. You can’t imagine the places He’s going to take you, the people you’re going to meet, the levels you’re going to reach. Today’s Scripture says that if you think you’ve reached your limits, you better think again. God is about to take you into overflow, into abundance, into more than enough. Whatever level you’re at, get ready, another level is coming. What you haven’t seen or imagined is on the way. Circumstances may be against you, but the Most High God is for you. He’s working behind the scenes. Things are happening that you can’t see. Keep being faithful. Keep doing the right thing. Keep going to work with a good attitude. God is your source.

For God has said, “I will never, never fail you nor forsake you. Hebrews 13:5 In today’s Scripture, God puts such an emphasis on His faithfulness because He knew how easy it is to give up on our dreams. You may be facing a situation that looks impossible today. The odds are against you, and you’ve had some setbacks. Let me encourage you. God is not going to fail you. The breakthrough is already in your future. Don’t talk yourself out of it. When you go through the day with this expectancy, knowing that God is working behind the scenes bringing it together, that’s what allows God to do great things. If you stay in faith, at the right time you will see it come together.

…the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 2 Corinthians 1: 3-4 There are times when God will allow us to go through a painful season. If you go through something you don’t understand, God allowed this to happen because He trusts you. He knows He can count on you to take the same comfort, the same healing, the same encouragement that helped you overcome this trouble, and share it with others. Keep moving forward. Go out and find somebody you can help. Healing comes when you get outside yourself and help others. As long as you stay focused on your pain, what you lost, what didn’t work out, you’re going to get stuck. There’s a blessing in that pain. When you’ve been through something, you’re uniquely qualified to help and comfort somebody else in that situation. Look for opportunities. God is counting on you to h...

They will not be disgraced in hard times; even in famine they will have more than enough. Psalm 37:19 David says that even in a down time, even in a time of famine, the righteous will see increase and favor. Here’s the key: As long as you stay close to God, as long as you keep Him first place, you are connected to a supply line that will never run dry. Even in a slow economy, you are connected to a supply line filled with health, wholeness, and restoration. When you don’t see how you can accomplish your dreams, don’t get discouraged. You have a supply line connected with good breaks, the right people, ideas, and creativity. You’ve been called out, set apart, and chosen to live a distinctively favored life. Now do your part. Pray bold prayers. Take the limits off of God. Believe for your dreams. If you do this, I believe that God is going to show out in your life in amazing ways.

The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them, he delivers them from all their troubles. Psalm 34:17 God will deliver us from trouble, but consider it in a new light. The post office picks up a package in New York, and drivers deliver it to Tashkent. “Deliver” means they transport it from one location to another. It may go through five stops along the way before it is delivered. In the same way, right now God is delivering you from trouble. You’re en route, and there may be some stops along the way. But don’t worry, you’re not delivered yet. You’re dealing with depression, but God is delivering you into joy. God is going to open new doors, turn impossible situations around, and push you into a level of your destiny that you would never have experienced without it.

But Lord, “exclaimed Ananias, “I’ve heard many people talk about the terrible things this man has done to the believers in Jerusalem ! Acts: 9:13 When God told Ananias to go pray for Saul, Ananias didn’t want to go. Saul was the biggest persecutor of the church. But Ananias didn’t know that Saul’s life had been changed on the road to Damascus. He was worried and started telling God all the reasons why he shouldn’t go. He didn’t realize that God had already taken care of what worried him. When he went and prayed for Saul, instead of finding an enemy, he found an ally. Some of the things we worry about, God has already changed. He’s already set the miracle into motion. It’s just a matter of time before you experience it. Stay in peace, and as Ananias did, you’ll come into what God has already done.

After Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before. Job 42:10 We all face challenging situations and troubled relationships. Sometimes the secret to solving a problem isn’t in praying more or working harder; it’s in helping someone else solve their problem. As you take the focus off yourself and help others in your time of need, you’re sowing a seed that will bring the harvest you’re waiting for. When you take your hands off your problem and be good to someone else, God will put His hands on your problem and make things happen that you couldn’t make happen. Today’s Scripture says it was “after” Job had prayed for his friends that his problems were solved in abundance. Can you imagine how many times Job had already prayed for himself when he was dealing with all of his great losses, especially for his healing? It’s good to pray and release your faith, but don’t stop there, because there are times when your breakthrough i...

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you (and approved of you as My chosen instrument), and before you were born I consecrated you…. Jeremiah 1:5 Today’s Scripture doesn’t say, “God approves you as long as you don’t make any mistakes and don’t have any weaknesses.” No, He approved you before you were formed in your mother’s womb. This means He approves you with those weaknesses and despite those shortcomings. You’re not defective; you’re not a mistake. When God created you, He called you a masterpiece. We all have flaws and weaknesses. A lot of times we think we can’t feel good about ourselves until we do everything right. If we resist the temptation, if we bite our tongue, if we’re more patient, then we believe God will approve us. The truth is, there’s nothing you can do to make God love you more. His approval is not based on your performance; it’s based on your relationship. He chose you before you could choose Him.

… then Moses stood in the entrance of the camp, and said, “Whoever is on the Lord’s side – come to me !” And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together to him. Exodus 32:26 After Moses received the Ten Commandments on the mountain, he discovered the Israelites worshiping a calf made out of gold. He was furious, knowing that God was about to bring judgment upon them. When Moses called to the people, “Who is on the Lord’s side?” the sons of Levi took a stand and did the right thing. Because of that decision, God declared that all the priests would come through the tribe of Levi. What’s interesting is that they were descendants of Levi, whose father was Jacob and whose grandmother was Rebekah—all who had been deceivers. These men were saying in effect, “This is a new day. We’re not going to be defined by our past. That’s what happens when you decide to get rid of negative things that have been passed down. That dysfunction may not have started with you, but it can stop with ...

They will sing, “Give thanks to the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, for the Lord is good. His faithful love endures forever !” For I will restore the prosperity of this land to what it was in the past, says the Lord. Jeremiah 33:11 Jeremiah prophesied that God would bring back the people of Judah and Israel from their captivity to the Babylonian conquerors. He was saying that when you thank God and offer up a sacrifice of praise even when you don’t see anything good happening, He is going to reverse negative situations and restore what’s been stolen. When you don’t see how it can work out, but you go through the day saying, “Father, thank You that the answer is on the way, thank You that this problem is turning around,” get ready for God to bring a restoration. He’s going to reverse finances that are down, reverse a bad health report, reverse a legal matter, and He’s going to restore what should have been yours. He’s going to restore years that you’ve lost because somebody did you wrong. ...

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10 Jesus chose Peter to be one of His disciples even though he knew he was hot tempered, impatient, and would fail many times. He didn’t choose him because he was perfect; He chose him because He had the blueprint for Peter’s life. The messes didn’t disqualify Peter; the messes simply meant he was still under construction. He knew that Peter would become one of the most respected, influential leaders. We all have some messy areas we need to improve in. The point is to let God make you and mold you. We should be better this year than we were last year. We should be making progress. Don’t let the mess become normal. The hot temper, the addiction, the negative attitude—that’s not who you are. Keep growing, keep resisting that temptation. There’s nothing wrong with being under construction; there is something wrong with not making any progres...

When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. Isaiah 43:2 In today’s Scripture, God says that although adversities are going to come, He will be with you in them. Are you trying to get out of the fire God is going to take you through? Are you fighting the fire, wondering why it happened? Everything will change if you start inviting God in. He promised He’ll be with you; maybe He’s just waiting for your invitation.

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10 Jesus chose Peter to be one of His disciples even though he knew he was hot tempered, impatient, and would fail many times. He didn’t choose him because he was perfect; He chose him because He had the blueprint for Peter’s life. The messes didn’t disqualify Peter; the messes simply meant he was still under construction. He knew that Peter would become one of the most respected, influential leaders. We all have some messy areas we need to improve in. The point is to let God make you and mold you. We should be better this year than we were last year. We should be making progress. Don’t let the mess become normal. The hot temper, the addiction, the negative attitude—that’s not who you are. Keep growing, keep resisting that temptation. There’s nothing wrong with being under construction; there is something wrong with not making any progres...

O lord, I am your servant; yes, I am your servant, born into your household; you have freed me from my chains. Psalm 116:16 Imagine what you could become without the chains that are limiting you. What could you accomplish without that chain of fear and insecurity? What kind of relationship could you have without that chain of guilt, shame, and feeling wrong about yourself? How high could you go without that chain of negative words that were spoken over you, telling you how you don’t measure up and can never be successful? It’s time to be freed from those chains. Your destiny is too great, your assignment too important to go around bound. Quit telling yourself you’re stuck, you’ll always struggle, you’ll always be lonely, you’ll always fight depression. The chain breaker, the Most High God, is working in your life right now. When you least expect it, things are going to shift in your favor. Ask Him to set you free.

Giving a gift can open doors; it gives access to important people ! Proverbs 18:16 God has entrusted us with gifts and talents, but too often we let fear hold us back. We’re hiding our gifts, hiding our talents, hiding our personality. We’re afraid to come out of our shell, afraid we may not be accepted. It’s time to quit hiding. If God has given you the gift to sing, start singing. If you can write, start writing. If you can lead, start leading. If you can build, start building. If you can teach, start teaching. That gift doesn’t do you or anyone else any good if you keep it to yourself. It has to be released. Your gift may seem small, but when you develop it, big doors will open. You don’t have to have a great gift for God to use you in a great way. Today’s Scripture doesn’t say you have to have a big gift, an important gift, an impressive gift. Whatever you have, if you develop it and keep getting better, it will open doors of opportunity.

What is faith ? It is the confident assurance that something we want is going to happen. It is the certainty that what we hope for is waiting for us, even though we cannot see it up ahead. Hebrews 11:1 There are times when we’re waiting on God to do something, but God is waiting on us. Think of all the people in the Scripture who didn’t wait for Jesus to come to them, but sought Him out passionately for their needs, even pushing through crowds to touch the hem of His garment for healing. God has a perfect time for each of us, but today’s Scripture says, “Faith is...” Faith is always in the now. It may not bring the change overnight, for we all have waiting periods. But our faith should stay active. Your faith is going to turn things around. Your faith is going to open the right doors. Your faith is going to bring unexpected favor. Live with the anticipation that it could happen today.

Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Romans 12:2 There’s a price to pay to become all we were created to be. You may not be able to do what others do, to watch what they watch, or to do your business as they do business. To always do the right thing, you’ll need to go the extra mile. People may not understand why you won’t talk behind someone else’s back, or why you won’t laugh about certain things. It’s not our business to judge them, but don’t become like them. Don’t lower your standard. Value God’s blessing more than what another person thinks of you. If you don’t feel good about something, if you have to talk yourself into it and make excuses as to why it’s okay, it’s not worth it. You’ll never go wrong taking the high road. Have a made-up mind. “I’m going to be a person of integr...

Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning. Psalm 30:5 You may have shed some tears of sadness over what hasn’t worked out, over dreams that haven’t come to pass, over disappointments, over the loss of a loved one. The Scripture says that God is going to turn your mourning into dancing and those tears of sorrow into tears of joy. It may not have happened yet, but it’s not over. What God promised you doesn’t have an expiration date. It’s still on the way. Your breakthrough is coming. When it happens, it’s going to be more rewarding, more fulfilling than you ever imagined. Too often we disqualify ourselves. We think it would have happened if we had more faith, or hadn’t made so many mistakes, or were just good enough to deserve it. But God is full of mercy and doesn’t bless us based on our performance. What He promised is still going to come to pass. What He started, He’s going to finish.