For as he thinks in his heart, so is he….

Proverbs 23:7 (AMPC)

The mind is the leader or forerunner of all actions. The steps we take each day are a direct result of the thoughts we allow ourselves to think.

If we have a negative mind, we will have a negative life. On the other hand, if we renew our mind according to God’s Word, we will experience “the good and acceptable and perfect will of God” for our lives (Romans 12:2).

So many people’s struggles are rooted in wrong thinking patterns. Negative thinking can actually cause them to create the problems they experience in their lives; thankfully, though, we don’t have to live captive to those thoughts. We can choose to line our thoughts up with the Word of God.

The mind is a battlefield. Decide to resist destructive, negative thinking and dwell on godly thoughts for your life instead. The more you change your mind for the better, the more your life will also change for the better.

Prayer of the Day: Father, I’m thankful that I don’t have to live as a captive to my thoughts. With Your help, I can change those negative thoughts that are affecting my life. I can win the battle of the mind by spending time in Your Word, meditating on Your promises, and making a conscious effort to think God-honoring thoughts over my life.

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Answer me when I call, God of my righteousness! You have relieved me in my distress; be gracious to me and hear my prayer.

Psalm 4:1 (NASB)

In today’s verse, David calls upon the Lord as “God of my righteousness.” The Bible mentions two types of righteousness. I think most people view righteousness as a quality that comes from right behavior, but a totally different kind of righteousness is available to us as believers in Jesus Christ.

God’s righteousness can be simply defined as “right standing with Him,” and it is a gift He gives to us when we receive Christ as Lord and Savior. It is a gift of His grace, which we receive through faith. We cannot do anything to earn it or make ourselves worthy of it; it has already been paid for through Jesus’ suffering, death, and resurrection.

God views us as righteous in Christ because Jesus has taken our sin and given us His righteousness. Because of this act of love and mercy, God now thinks of us as right with Him in every way. We do not have to think of ourselves as “wrong,” but we can be confident that we are in right relationship with God through Christ.

Prayer of the Day: Father, thank You for sending Your Son to die for my sin and to give me His righteousness.

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One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.

Psalm 27:4 (NIV)

When I think about what stirs up our emotions, the hurtful things people do to us is at the top of the list, perhaps more frequently than anything else. Since we cannot control what others do, we need to look for ways to quiet our emotions when people upset us. The amplification of today’s scripture teaches us to look for the best in things, and I believe this applies to people as well as situations.

Our natural thoughts and emotions, without the influence of the Holy Spirit, can be negative. Romans 8:5 teaches us that we can either set our minds on what the flesh (human nature without God) desires or on what the Holy Spirit desires. If we set our minds on the flesh, we will be filled with negative feelings and attitudes. But if we set our minds on the Spirit, we will be filled with life and peace in our souls, which includes calm emotions. I encourage you to choose what creates peace, because a life of emotional turmoil makes us miserable.

I realized years ago that most of my emotional turmoil came from people problems. I knew from experience that I could not control people and what they decided to do, so I began to pray about what I could do to keep their words and actions from upsetting me. In answer to my prayers, and through studying God’s Word, I started obeying 1 Corinthians 13:7 by choosing to believe the best of everything and everyone.

Prayer of the Day: Help me, Lord, to control what I can control—my thoughts and emotions—while trusting You to handle what I can’t control.

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Blessed (enjoying enviable happiness, spiritually prosperous—with life-joy and satisfaction in God’s favor and salvation, regardless of their outward conditions) are the makers and maintainers of peace, for they shall be called the sons of God!

Matthew 5:9 (AMPC)

The prayer of agreement is only effective when those who agree in prayer are living in agreement in their natural, everyday lives. Living in agreement does not mean never having our own opinions, but it does mean that there is harmony, mutual respect, and honor in our relationships. It means an absence of the things that cause division and strife—like selfishness, anger, resentment, jealousy, bitterness, or comparison. Living in agreement is like being on the same ball team—everyone works together, supports, and encourages each other, believes in, and trusts each other as they all pursue the same goal and share the victory.

The prayer of agreement is very powerful, but it can only be used effectively by those who make the effort to live in agreement. For example, if Dave and I argued and had strife most of the time but wanted to pray in agreement when we had a pressing need, then that would not work. There is no power in agreeing occasionally; we must live in agreement. Live with others respectfully and peacefully. Adapt and adjust yourself to people and things in order to be a maker and maintainer of peace (see Romans 12:16).

Maintaining unity and harmony does require effort, but the power released when people pray who live in agreement is worth it.

Prayer of the Day: God, thank You for the power that is released when I pray. I thank You that right now, incredible power is being released in my life, amen.

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For you shall eat [the fruit] of the labor of your hands; happy (blessed, fortunate, enviable) shall you be, and it shall be well with you.

Psalm 128:2 (AMPC)

There is nothing more fulfilling than being rested and ready for the work that God has called us to do. God puts the desire in us to minister to people through whatever work we do. But ministry is work that requires physical, emotional, and spiritual strength.

Hard work is rewarding when you follow God’s way and minister to other people through “the labor of your hands.” That is why it is so important to start your day with God. His presence will build you up emotionally, His words will strengthen you spiritually, and the time of rest that He calls you to enjoy will make you physically able to handle whatever may come your way.

Prayer of the Day: Father God, thank You for Your presence in my life. Thank You for the rest I enjoyed, and give me the strength to minister to others, in whatever way You have for me to minister to them today and every day, amen.

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And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him and let it drop (leave it, let it go), in order that your Father Who is in heaven may also forgive you your [own] failings and shortcomings and let them drop. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your failings and shortcomings.

Mark:11:25-26 (AMPC)

One of the greatest reasons why prayer isn’t answered among Christians is unforgiveness. Jesus gave His disciples a command to forgive, and then He told them plainly that if they did not forgive, neither would their Father in heaven forgive them their failings and shortcomings. He was blunt with them, because He knew what a stumbling block unforgiveness would be for their spiritual life.

It is important to note that forgiveness and having faith to move mountains comes in the same context. There is no power in speaking to a mountain if the heart is full of unforgiveness. Yet this problem is rampant among God’s children. If there is anything that will short-circuit God from answering our prayers, it’s a heart full of unforgiveness and bitterness toward others. You can’t go into your prayer closet and expect God to move mountains for you or on behalf of others when you’ve hardened your heart with unforgiveness. Extend abundant mercy and forgiveness just as God forgave you in Christ.

Prayer of the Day: Lord, help me to always remember what it cost You to forgive me, and yet You freely forgave me. I want my heart to be like Yours and to extend mercy to others as well, amen.

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But God will redeem me…for He will receive me. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!

Psalm 49:15 (AMPC)

When offenses come and we are tempted to get into strife, it is wise for us to examine our thoughts and take ownership of our actions.

If you find that you are justifying having a bad attitude, I encourage you to realize that justifying any bad behavior that the Word of God condemns is a dangerous thing. It keeps us deceived and unable to take ownership of our faults.

Nobody enjoys saying, “I was wrong—please forgive me,” but it is one of the most powerful six-word sentences in the world. It brings peace to turmoil; joy replaces frustration, and this attitude puts a smile on God’s face. He is delighted when we follow His ways instead of our own thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

Prayer of the Day: Father, help me see myself as You see me. Renew my mind to reflect my true identity in Christ and embrace the life You have planned for me, amen.

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The Lord watches over the foreigner and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.

Psalm 146:9 (NIV)

God seems to have a special place in His heart for those who are lonely, and He wants us to be good to them. Psalm 68:6 (NIV) says that He “sets the lonely in families….” If you know someone who has no family, you can include them in some of your family functions. Invite them to your home for Thanksgiving dinner, a Fourth of July celebration, and other such events.

God gave the Israelites commands about how they were to include the foreigners and strangers among them (Deuteronomy 10:19; Leviticus 19:34). And Hebrews 13:2 instructs believers to show hospitality to strangers. We tend to gravitate toward people we know and are comfortable with, but God wants us to reach beyond our comfort zone and think about how it would feel to be alone so we will include the lonely in our lives.

The Lord mentions the fatherless and the widow frequently in Scripture and instructs us to be good to them and to help meet their needs. James writes that religion that is pure and undefiled is about visiting and helping to care for the widows and orphans in their distress (James 1:27).

Choose a widowed person in your church and show special attention to them. You can informally adopt them into your family. If you are going to lunch after church on Sunday, you can include them. There are many ways to minister to the lonely if we will just think about it, and when we do, it will put a smile on God’s face.

Prayer of the Day: Father, help me remember how You feel about those who are lonely, and show me who I can minister to and help alleviate their loneliness. Help me walk in love with everyone and show kindness wherever possible, amen.

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He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”

Genesis 15:5 (NIV)

God promised Abram (later Abraham) a son. Not only that, but He promised him descendants so numerous that they would be like the stars in the sky. The problem was that Abram and his wife, Sarai (later Sarah), were way too old to have natural children. As advanced in years as they were, we might think God’s promise needed to come to pass quickly. But it didn’t. Abram and Sarai had to wait 25 years for His promise to manifest in their lives.

We often have to wait for certain things God has promised to come to pass, just as Abram and Sarai did. Sometimes He may need to teach us or prepare us for the blessings He wants to release in our lives. Or it could be that we need additional spiritual growth, greater emotional stability, or a new mindset before we can handle them properly. While we wait, we may be tempted to feel impatient. We may doubt or feel frustrated because nothing seems to be happening.

During these seasons of waiting for God’s promises to be fulfilled, we need to tell our emotions to calm down and wait patiently for Him to act on our behalf. Our emotions can help us wait peacefully, with joy and expectation, or they can keep us anxious and impatient.

God is always working for our good, even when we don’t see it. We need to trust His timing and wisdom, knowing He will fulfill His promises at the time that is best for us.

Prayer of the Day: Thank You, God, for the promises You’ve made to me. I trust You to fulfill them when the time is right. Help me to wait patiently and not let my emotions lead me into frustration.

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But you are not living the life of the flesh, you are living the life of the Spirit, if the [Holy] Spirit of God [really] dwells within you]… But if anyone does not possess the [Holy] Spirit of Christ, he is none of His….

Romans 8:9 (AMPC)

We are called to walk in the Spirit or, as today’s verse says, to “live the life of the Spirit.”

Making a decision to do this is the starting point, but I can tell you from the Word of God and from experience that it takes more than a decision; it takes a deep work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. He “operates” on us with God’s Word, which divides soul and spirit (see Hebrews 4:12). He also uses circumstances to train us in stability and walking in love at all times. These things we are called to do are not things that are just given to us; they must be worked in us. Just as leaven or yeast must be worked into dough—so Christ must be worked in us.

In Philippians 2:12 (KJV), the apostle Paul teaches us to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. That means we are to cooperate with the Holy Spirit as He begins in us a work of crucifixion or “dying to self.” Paul said, I die daily (1 Corinthians 15:31 KJV). In other words, he was saying that he was constantly exposed to a “putting to death in the flesh.” He was not speaking of physical death, but a death to his own will and ways. If we really want to live the life of the Spirit, we also have to put to death our will and ways and choose God’s will. We can count on God to lead us, and we want Him to be able to count on us to obey.

Prayer of the Day: Father God, help me live a life of the Spirit. Help me to make the decision first, then do a work in me that only You can do. And help me to walk through life according to Your will and not my own, amen.

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For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.

2 Corinthians 4:17 (ESV)

Paul calls our earthly troubles light, momentary afflictions compared to the glory we are to receive. When I go through trying times, it helps to remind myself that they will pass. “This cannot last forever” is what I tell myself. I think of other things that I thought I would not survive, yet I did. The devil whispers in our ear that certain things will last forever, but they won’t.

Christ is your strength, and no matter how bad your current situation may look, God loves you and has already planned your escape to a safe landing place. In addition, you will learn something from your trial that will help you later in life. Keep your eyes on the prize of heaven and the glory that awaits you there.

When we go through hard situations, they make us able to endure the next tough time with more ease. Each time we experience God’s deliverance, it is easier to know that it will also be there the next time we need it. Enter God’s rest today. Your breakthrough is coming!

Prayer of the Day: Father God, thank You for helping me through all the difficult times I have ever faced, am facing, and will face in the future. I know that You will be with me through everything. Thank You, amen.

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Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.

3 John 2 (NKJV)

Most people I know set and meet goals each day, such as “Buy the groceries. Do the laundry. Take the kids to school. Pick up Mom’s prescription. Get Mary’s birthday present.” We also set goals for each week and each year, such as getting to church every Sunday or going on a summer vacation. But how many people have this goal: “Work on getting my soul healthy”? It’s one of the most important of all.

A healthy soul is a soul at peace and at rest. It isn’t upset, worried, angry, ashamed, or fearful. It is strong and steady, full of love, joy, hope, compassion toward others, and confidence in God. It can handle the ups and downs of life appropriately and go through everyday life with ease.

As you read the description of a healthy soul, you may think, Oh, that sounds so nice! I would love that, but I just don’t think it’s possible because I am dealing with [fill in the blank]. When you fill in the blank, you may say “aging parents,” or “difficult teenagers,” or “a serious health condition,” or “job loss,” or “an abusive relationship,” or “losing my friends,” or “problems in my marriage,” or “financial trouble,” or “unreasonable stress at work.” There are all kinds of situations that will cause you to think you really cannot have a healthy soul. They may mean you have to work hard to improve the health of your soul, but they don’t prohibit it. Actually, the fact that you are going through these things is not a hindrance to a healthy soul; it’s the reason you need one! The healthier your soul is, the stronger you will be and the better you will be able to handle your most challenging circumstances.

Just like you, I am no stranger to stress, but I have learned that things that upset us will happen. We don’t have control over that, but because God has given us the fruit of self-control (Gal. 5:22–23) and because we can ask Him to help us, we do have control over the way we respond to them. I can guarantee you, based on personal experience, that it’s much better to face challenges with a healthy soul than with a weak or wounded one.

A healthy soul is a worthy goal for all of us. I understand that in many ways it’s easier to get the groceries or drop off the kids at school than to work on becoming healthy in your mind, will, and emotions. I also know it’s one of the best things you will ever do for yourself, and that God will help you do it. It may seem difficult to you, but all things are possible with Him!

Prayer of the Day: Lord, please boost my determination to have a healthy soul. Help me to remain committed to do what it takes to achieve the goal of a healthy and thriving soul, amen.

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Therefore, [there is] now no condemnation (no adjudging guilty of wrong) for those who are in Christ Jesus, who live [and] walk not after the dictates of the flesh, but after the dictates of the Spirit.

Romans 8:1 (AMPC)

“I should have known better,” Cindy cried out to me. “All the signs were there that he wasn’t the man for me.” She had gone through two years of a painful marriage of verbal and finally physical abuse. Then her husband left her for another woman. Now she felt doubly condemned—condemned for marrying him in the first place and condemned that she couldn’t hold the marriage together.

“If I had been a good Christian, I could have changed him,” she moaned. I could have confronted her and said, “Yes, you did see the signs and you ignored them. You opened yourself up to this kind of treatment.” I didn’t say those words and wouldn’t. They would not have helped Cindy.

What she needed right then was for me to stretch out my hand and comfort her. She was so self-condemned that she finally asked, “Will God forgive me?”

At first, her words disturbed me. The Bible is clear that God forgives any sin. Cindy knew the Bible, so her question wasn’t due to a lack of knowledge; it was due to a lack of faith in a loving, caring God. She felt so dejected, and she didn’t know if God loved her enough to forgive her.

I assured Cindy of God’s forgiveness, but that wasn’t the real issue that troubled her. Satan had whispered in her mind for such a long time that she had failed God, that she had deliberately disobeyed, and that God was angry with her.

The devil tries to stop us every chance he gets. I often use the analogy of a baby learning to walk. We don’t expect that baby to stand the first day and walk across the room like an adult. Those little ones will fall often. Sometimes they cry, but they always get back up. That may be some inborn quality, but I suspect it’s because the parents are there saying, “You can do it. Come on, baby, get up and walk.”

The scene is much the same in the spiritual world. All of us fall, but when we’re encouraged, we get back up and try again. If we’re not encouraged, we tend to stay down, or at least wait a long, long time before trying to get up again.

Never underestimate Satan’s relentlessness. He will do whatever he can to trip you, and then make you feel so condemned that you won’t want to get up again. He knows that his control is finished once you choose right thoughts and reject wrong ones. He wants to hinder you from clear thinking. He will attempt to thwart you through discouragement and condemnation.

I want to tell you what Cindy did. She wrote Romans 8:1 on three 3×5 file cards and pasted one on her mirror, one on her computer, and one on her dashboard. Every time she looks at the verse, she repeats it aloud. “Therefore, [there is] now no condemnation (no adjudging guilty of wrong) for those who are in Christ Jesus, who live [and] walk not after the dictates of the flesh, but after the dictates of the Spirit.”

The Message puts Romans 8:1–2 like this: With the arrival of Jesus, the Messiah, that fateful dilemma is resolved. Those who enter into Christ’s being-here-for-us no longer have to live under a continuous, low-lying black cloud. A new power is in operation. The Spirit of life in Christ, like a strong wind, has magnificently cleared the air, freeing you from a fated lifetime of brutal tyranny at the hands of sin and death.

We are free in Jesus Christ, and we don’t have to listen to Satan’s condemnation. When we fail—and we will—that doesn’t mean we are failures. It means we failed one time in one thing. It means we didn’t do everything right. That doesn’t make us a failure.

“Just let Christ be strong in your weaknesses; let Him be your strength on your weak days.”

Prayer of the Day: Lord Jesus, in Your name I pray for victory. When I fail, please remind me not only that You forgive, but that You also wipe away the guilt and condemnation. Please accept my gratitude, amen.

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Since all have sinned and continually fall short of the glory of God, and are being justified [declared free of the guilt of sin, made acceptable to God, and granted eternal life] as a gift by His [precious, undeserved] grace, through the redemption [the payment for our sin] which is [provided] in Christ Jesus.

Romans 3:23–24 (AMP)

Sin is a problem for everyone, but Jesus is also the answer for everyone. No problem is really a problem as long as there is an answer for it.

Not only have we fallen short of the glory of God, but according to Romans 3:23, we are currently falling short. This indicates it is a continual problem, yet Jesus is continually at the right hand of the Father, making intercession for us, so this continual problem of sin has a continual and uninterrupted answer.

Although we deal with sin, we don’t have to focus on our failures. When we are convicted of sin, we can admit it, repent, and then turn toward Jesus. By focusing on Him and His Word, we will receive the power to overcome.

Prayer of the Day: Lord, Your Word teaches us to turn away from all that will distract us from Jesus—the Author and Finisher of our faith. Please help me keep all distractions at bay, so that I can focus my attention onto You, amen.

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Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.

Joshua 1:8 (NLT)

When we say “meditate,” we generally mean to choose what we want to think about and roll it over and over in our minds until it becomes a part of us.

Take a look at this quote: “If you continue to believe as you have always believed, you will continue to act as you have always acted. If you continue to act as you have always acted, you will continue to get what you have always gotten. If you want different results in your life, all you have to do is change your mind” (Anonymous).

You will never do what you need to do until you think what you need to think. God’s Word will renew your mind, so love the Word, live the Word, speak the Word, meditate on the Word—and things will begin to change.

Prayer of the Day: Lord, help me to meditate on Your Word throughout my days, so that ultimately, my thoughts will change, and my life will change, amen.

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…Because of our faith in Him, we dare to have the boldness (courage and confidence) of free access (an unreserved approach to God with freedom and without fear).

Ephesians 3:12 (AMPC)

Life is often challenging, and I’ve discovered that the world around us will not always change, so we must be willing to change our approach to life and the situations we face.

I hear people say things like, “If it rains tomorrow, I am not going to be happy,” or, “When I get home from work today, I am going to be upset if my children did not clean the house the way I told them to.” When we are thinking like this, we are planning to let adverse circumstances steal our joy and control our behavior.

Instead, our approach can be different. We can say, “I hope the weather is nice tomorrow, but my joy is within me, so I can be happy no matter what kind of weather we have” or, “I hope the children did what I asked them to do so I don’t have to correct them, but I can handle any situation and remain peaceful in my soul.” It’s all a matter of having a more positive, hope-filled approach.

Prayer of the Day: Father, help me embrace the new life You offer through Jesus. Teach me to follow the Holy Spirit and live with purpose, joy, and enthusiasm, amen.

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So my spirit grows faint within me; my heart within me is dismayed. I remember the days of long ago; I meditate on all your works and consider what your hands have done.

Psalm 143:4-5 (NIV)

The psalmist David writes frequently about meditating on or thinking about all the wonderful works and mighty acts of the Lord. He thought about the name of the Lord, the mercy of God, the love of God, and many other such things.

I have mentioned before that David was bold in his honesty about how he felt. When he was joyful, he wrote about that, and when he was depressed, he wrote about that, as he did in today’s scriptures. We see in these verses that his response was not to meditate on his problem. Instead, he actively came against the problem by choosing to remember the good times of past days. He deliberately pondered the doings of God and the works of His hands. In other words, David intentionally focused his thoughts on something good, and it helped him overcome depression.

Never forget this: Your mind plays an important role in your victory. Think thoughts that will add power to your life, not thoughts that drain your strength and energy.

Prayer of the Day: Help me, Lord, to choose to think thoughts that are positive, uplifting, and encouraging—thoughts about You, not thoughts about my problems.

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Put on the full armor of God…with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.

Ephesians 6:13,15 (NIV)

The devil is our enemy, and he looks to gain entrance into our lives in any possible way. But God has given us armor that we can put on and wear to protect ourselves from evil attacks. The pieces of armor are the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God (Ephesians 6:10–17).

Have you put on your shoes of peace today? In other words, have you decided to walk in peace today, no matter what happens—even the situations that catch you by surprise? You can be ready for anything as long as you remain at peace, trusting God to help you.

Jesus left us a legacy of His peace, a peace that passes all understanding (John 14:27; Philippians 4:7). God is honored when we remain peaceful in the midst of a raging storm of threatening circumstances. It shows that we trust Him to take care of us. Peace is one of the most beautiful qualities we can possess, so be sure to wear your shoes of peace each day, trusting God with all your heart.

Prayer of the Day: Father, thank You for the shoes of peace. Remind me to put them on daily and trust You to handle the things I can’t. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily.

1 Corinthians 13:4 (AMPC)

This morning I was praying about walking in love and asking God to always help me do so, when suddenly He put two people on my heart who have personalities that make me impatient.

Love is displayed and can be seen through a variety of character traits, but the first one listed is patience. I am a bottom-line person, and these two individuals are extremely detailed. In order to tell me anything, they feel compelled to tell me many details that I don’t need and don’t want to hear.

The Lord reminded me that the first character trait listed that describes love is “patience,” and if I want to walk in love, I need to be willing to listen to them a little more than I do. Ouch! That hurt, but I needed it! I am very certain that my personality can be frustrating to others at times, and since I want them to be patient with me, it is important for me to be patient with them. Let’s always remember that we reap what we sow!

Prayer of the Day: Help me, Lord, to be the kind of person You want me to be at all times—one that imitates Your behavior, walks in love, and is patient with those around me, amen.

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It is because of the Lord’s mercy and loving-kindness that we are not consumed, because His [tender] compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great and abundant is Your stability and faithfulness.

Lamentations 3:22-23 (AMPC)

I like the way God has divided up the days and nights. No matter how difficult or challenging a specific day may be, the breaking of dawn brings new hope. God wants us to regularly put the past behind and find a place of “new beginnings.”

Perhaps you have felt trapped in some sin or addiction, and although you have repented, you still feel guilty. If that is the case, be assured that sincere repentance brings a fresh, new start because of God’s promise of forgiveness.

Only when you understand the great mercy of God and begin receiving it are you more inclined to give mercy to others. You may be hurting from an emotional wound. The way to put the past behind is to forgive the person who hurt you. You do yourself a favor when you forgive.

God has new plans on the horizon of your life, and you can begin to realize them by choosing to live in the present rather than the past. Thinking and talking about the past keeps you trapped in it. Let go of what happened yesterday, make the choice to receive God’s love and forgiveness today, so that you can get excited about His plan for tomorrow.

Prayer of the Day: Lord, help me embrace new beginnings each day. Teach me to forgive, release the past, and receive Your mercy so I can look forward to Your great plans for my future, amen.

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