This month, in appreciation for your end-of-year gift, Joel would like to send you the new Hopes & Dreams 2024 Planner as our way of saying thank you for supporting the message of hope.
Today's Word: DEC 03, 2023
It’s interesting that after Abram and Sarai had waited for the promise of a baby boy for over twenty years, God changed Abram’s name to Abraham, which means “the father of many nations,” and Sarai’s name to Sarah, which means “Princess.” He didn’t feel like a father, and she didn’t feel like a princess. But God called them what they were before it happened. As they spoke their names and heard others speak their names, the words pointed to the promise that seemed impossible and began to get down in their spirits. God was changing how they saw themselves through the words He gave them. They kept declaring it over and over, and Sarah finally conceived and gave birth to Isaac. What are you saying about your dreams? “I’m too old. I’ve made too many mistakes. I don’t have the talent.” That’s going to keep you from your dream. It’s why it’s so important that all through the day you keep saying, “I’m blessed. I’m healthy. I’m strong. I’m successful.” Keep declaring what God says about you.
If you want to pray with more confidence, know how to pray and when to pray, and know that God is truly hearing your prayers, this month’s ministry thank you is going to bless you.
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It’s easy to think that we have to make everything happen in our lives—make our dream come to pass, make a door open, make a person like us. This can be stressful and discouraging because there are so many things we can’t make happen. We go as far as we can and face obstacles that are too big. The good news is that we’re not doing life on our own. It’s not just up to us.
The apostle Paul says, “We are created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God has planned beforehand, taking paths that He prepared ahead of time, that we should live the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live” (Ephesians 2:10). God has already prearranged a good life for you. David says the same about what God has done in Psalm 139, “All my days that you have ordained for me were written in your book before I was ever born.” God’s already planned out your days. He’s lined up the right people, the right breaks, solutions to problems. He’s put in you the gifts and talents so you can live this good life. At an appointed time, you will discover that potential.
When you realize the Creator of the universe has a prearranged plan, that He’s figured it all out already, you know that you’re not at the mercy of fate, happenstance, or coincidence. You won’t be saying, “I hope this works out” or “I hope I meet the right person” or “I hope I fulfill my purpose.” You won’t be wondering, “What if this problem doesn’t turn around?” No, you can be confident that God is ordering your steps. God has gone ahead of you. He’s planned things out before you got here.
Now, your part is to honor God, to keep Him first place, and you’ll walk into that prearranged good life that He’s already planned. This doesn’t mean you won’t have difficulties and face situations that are unfair. It means that God has already taken that into account. When He preplanned your life, He arranged the comeback for every setback, a solution to every problem, mercy for every mistake, and a new beginning for every loss. You don’t have to struggle and try to force what you’re concerned about to work out. It will happen as the Most High God orders your steps. The solution is already in place. Come back to a place of peace, a place of rest. There is a good life in front of you. It’s all working according to the counsel of His will. The gifts and talents God put in you are about to be discovered. You’re about to step into some prearranged blessings, some preplanned favor, something you didn’t see coming.
READ BLOG ENTRYThe Scripture says, “God hastens His word to perform it.” The word "hasten" means quickly, speedily, in a hurry. I’m not saying we don’t have to wait. There are things that take time. What I’m saying is when you don’t see anything happening and it looks like what you’re up against is never going to change, when you step into that destiny moment, God will do things speedily, quicker than you thought.
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