Hope 4 2day

Your Daily Dose of Encouragement

Author: hope42day

Just a servant of Christ in pursuit of His heart through His people!
It’s time to Sing! — July 22, 2022

It’s time to Sing!

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“Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the Lord.” Isaiah 54:1

“But I will sing of thy power; yea, I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning: for thou hast been my defence and refuge in the day of my trouble.” Psalm 59:16

“Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee. Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name.” Psalm 63:3-4

Have you noticed the power of a song? It can lift us up or bring us low. It can remind us of a tucked away memory, and give us hope for the future. I believe there’s power in a song for many reasons, but two of those are because

1. We are praising God with that song, and

2. We are declaring the word of God.

Someone helped me to recognize that when I’m happy, I sing, and when I’m not happy, I don’t. Wow! How true that is for me. Despite what we experience, our song should never change. The reality of it is, sometimes life can take away the melody in our song. If you’ve had experiences like this or have found yourself in a dry place, a dark place, a place of uncertainty, a place of loneliness, a SILENT place… this is for you!

The enemy has done so much to silence you: he’s cluttered your mind, your heart; he’s taken loved-ones and dear friends, he’s taken your job, resources, and may have even tried to take your life. He’s tried to take your song and your faith, BUT I am here to remind you do what was reminded to me: THE DEVIL IS A LIAR!! He has no power to do those things, UNLESS you allow him to. See, the way we fight is not naturally; we don’t fight against flesh and blood, but we fight through our PRAISE!! We fight when we worship! We fight when we give God the glory IN SPITE OF!

No matter where you may have found yourself, I believe that THIS moment right here is where you regain your song! You can begin to lift your voice and declare by faith that you ARE more than a conqueror through Christ, you ARE created for such a time as this, that you CAN do everything God purposed for you to do because GOD has equipped you! You are still standing, still fighting, still here— by the grace of God! God’s grace preserves and it saves. Your song will bring life! God won’t let you fall if you let Him be your song! Refocus your attention to Him. Align your life with what brings Him joy and you will experience the joy of the Lord like never before!

You may have been silenced, but you are breaking forth into singing!! I pray that whatever you face today, that you can face it with a song! No matter what the enemy may try to convince you of, through Christ, YOU WIN! Sing your song of victory! ❤️

“O sing unto the Lord a new song: sing unto the Lord, all the earth.” Psalm 96:1

https://youtu.be/7SKuGiAwlLA

THROUGH CHRIST  —

THROUGH CHRIST 

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“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Philippians 4:13

“I can do all things through Christ!” How many times have we said this to ourselves or reminded others of this scripture? Such a popular verse, but let me take this moment to ask you this: do you really believe that you can do ALL things THROUGH Christ, or do you believe that YOU can do ALL things, through Christ?

I recently heard a message by a phenomenal preacher (Bishop Larry Booker) where he was teaching on the aspects of grace. In that message he simply mentioned that we can do all things THROUGH Christ, and that was when it registered: everything that I said I couldn’t do was actual. However, I was limiting God and reducing Him down to MY strength. When the Bible tells us that we can do ALL things through Christ, it is reminding us of the great access and privilege we have in being able to abide IN Christ. We don’t move forward in our strength, but through His. We aren’t redeemed by our blood, but through HIS. Whatever is a limit for us is not a factor for Christ. 

So in regards to our kingdom purpose, whatever it is that God is calling us to do, we can do it. We can stand on the fact that we CAN accomplish what Christ set out to do in us because it will be done in HIS strength. We can sing the song, write the book, leave the relationship, start the business, continue on…THROUGH CHRIST. The Bible reminds us that His grace is sufficient for us, that His strength is made perfect in weakness; so when we feel incapable, less than, insignificant, weak, that the task is too great, or unqualified in any way, it’s because we are looking at our own strength instead of His. 

Be empowered to know that He is FOR you and He will work THROUGH you. You’re not alone in this. 

I pray that God would grace you with this understanding anytime you face a challenge that you feel you’re not measuring up for: “you can do ALL things THROUGH Christ, who strengthens you— continually” ❤️

https://youtu.be/BRdyLK3UNBM

The other side of this — July 14, 2020

The other side of this

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As I was driving to work this morning, this is what I felt the Lord was speaking to my heart about some things that have caused a great deal of hurt and pain to me in the last decade. I pray that what God shared with me will be able to encourage and strengthen you as well. I pray that He will stir up your faith to trust Him with your hurt today. God bless you, beloved.

“Your life is in My hands, and I have a better life on the other side of your pain-if you would only be willing to release it to Me. Yes, it hurt you I know, but it will continue to hurt you if you don’t give it to Me. Give it to me. Put it in My hands. It’s heavy and consuming but My hand is strong enough to hold it, to bear the weight. You can cry it out, scream, talk, or just whisper. Whatever it is you need to do— whatever you feel when you think of or remember those things— do it before Me. I won’t be ashamed of you. I’m not ashamed of you. I’m here. I’m sitting with you through it and no matter how ugly you may feel in that moment, know that your brokenness is beautiful to Me. I’ve made so many beautiful things out of broken things, and I want to do the same with you. You’ll know when it’s fully given to me: because You won’t feel the same things you’ve felt when you think of it. On this side of it, you won’t feel the pain anymore, but you’ll see the strength I gave you to get through it. You’ll see the gift of life I blessed you with instead of doubt. You’ll see my hand lifting you up from that place of brokenness and sorrow. You won’t just have a taste this time; you’ll have the feast of my Full pleasure. This is My will concerning you today, Beloved. Don’t miss your moment. ❤️”

https://youtu.be/Zp6aygmvzM4

Trust in My Timing — July 6, 2019

Trust in My Timing

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“He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.”

Ecclesiastes 3:11

You may be feeling that God has forgotten about you, that everyone is moving ahead and you’re continuously moving backward or not even moving at all. It may feel like God has tucked you away and has just forgot.. I want to inform you that it’s all in God’s timing. The Lord has NOT forgotten about you. He has a distinct plan for you and for your life that exceeds what you’re anticipating at this present moment. When you see people’s snapshots of life on social media, don’t forget that it did not happen overnight; their spouse, their job, their child(ren) came over time through God’s plan for them. Just as things came together for them, so shall they come together for you. God says that He has thoughts to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you a hope and a future( Jeremiah 29:11), and that He makes all things beautiful in His time( Ecclesiastes 3:11), which means that He knows the time that’s right for you. Whatever it is that you’re desiring, in need of, seeking after, God has a plan to provide that and to even exceed that for you because He loves you FAR more than you can imagine.

While you wait for God to answer, be prayerful, preparing, and purposeful. Trust God’s plan, and know that when the time is right, God will bring it to pass. Know that you are ALWAYS on the heart and mind of God, and that His feelings and thoughts for you will never change. He is faithful to His promise, and He is faithful to you.

Be encouraged in the wait, beloved, and be expectant of prayers being exceeded ❤️

Being Tried in the Fire — June 28, 2019

Being Tried in the Fire

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“But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.”

Job 23:10

Do you know how gold is refined? It’s an extraneous process, with the last step being to the gold to have all of the impurities removed and the other less precious metals to be separated. The word refine is defined as two things:

1.removing impurities or unwanted elements,

-and-

2.to improve something by making small changes in particular make more subtle and accurate

The only way these impurities can be removed from gold is through an extreme, intense heat. This is not something that’s generated by small fire,but an immense fire. So when you think of what Job said when he said that he shall come forth as gold tried in the fire, he was saying that through the fiery trials of life, he’s being purified and the impurities from life will be removed from him so that only what’s pure is left.

Do you feel like you’re in a fiery time in your life? Does everything seem to be going down, caving in, falling in all around you? Do you feel like you’re all alone with no one to turn to, or that no one understands? Do you feel confused, because what you once were strong in, you now feel like it’s consuming you at an all-time high? If so, God may be taking you through the purification process to make you better than before.

God is aware of what you’re experiencing and how difficult this process is for you, but He as your Heavenly Father also knows that you need this it to be able to withstand what He’s bringing you to. You can take heart in knowing that He won’t leave you desolate in this fire. He said that He will never leave you nor forsake you(Hebrews 13:5), so that means that He is right there WITH you in the fire!! You are not alone in this process! When you see what God is bringing you to, you’ll understand that process a little better and will be more grateful for it.

Though the process is hard, it’s necessary, and I pray that God gives you grace and strength to endure with Him. I pray that God reminds you daily that you are His beloved daughter and that He will always do what’s best for you. Know that He’s in the fire with you and you two will come out with victory in your hands! He loves you and sees you as the most PRECIOUS of all things!

Beloved, you are going to withstand the test of the refining process ❤️

Hang in There —

Hang in There

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“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”

-Galatians 6:9

Life is hard sometimes, and sometimes it seems that it’s even harder walking with God. Sometimes things don’t go as plan, we don’t always finish what we start, or don’t start at all, and that can be dampening to our spirit. I want to remind you of something: God knew before the foundation of the world all that you would be at every point in your life, and He already knew all of your successes, failures, and shortcomings. That didn’t stop Him from creating you, calling you, and setting you apart, and it surely didn’t stop Him from loving you. So when the going gets tough in life and you feel disappointed by your shortcomings, hang in there and know that you are loved by the Almighty God.

When He thinks of you, He has nothing but good thoughts and Has a made up mind about you( Jeremiah 29:11)! Any thoughts you have that are contrary to the love that God has for you are NOT from our Heavenly Father! When you’re feeling down, turn to the word of God and remind yourself of who you are in Christ, even WITH your shortcomings.

If God gave you an idea, He gave you an anointing to do it. If He gave you a purpose, He gave you grace to get to it. All that God gives you will be fulfilled as long as you stay connected to Him. He is your strength, so hang in there with God when you feel like you’re not measuring up. Everything you’re not, He is, so know that you’re whole in Christ.

God loves you so much, dearly beloved, and He has great things for you-STILL! ❤️

Restoration — June 17, 2019

Restoration

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“And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you.”

Joel 2:25

 

Sometimes in this life, we reach a point where we just feel burnt out: tired from caring for the family, tired of going above and beyond for others when it’s not reciprocated, exhausted from every part of life. I can assure you that I’ve been there. Just as we get tired in the natural, we can also grow exhausted and weary in our walk with Christ. We can get so comfortable with how things have been that we fall into a routine and can’t see a way out of that…and that can be draining. The weights of life can weigh heavily on us as we are pressing forward in Christ, and if we’re honest, sometimes it can make us feel like not going on. When that happens, know that a restoration is needed. Our focus needs to be restored, our joy, our peace, our souls purpose needs to be renewed.

 

The bible tells us that Christ is the source of living water that will refresh us (John  4:14). When we reach a place of depletion in our walk with Christ, we can find hope in the verse above, as it reminds us that sometimes God will send things to stir us, shake us or move us, but HE won’t leave us in that state. He will restore.

 

Today, I encourage you to turn to the Lord and bring every one of your weights to Him, knowing that He truly cares for you (1 peter 5:7). It’s become cliche, I know, but when we really ponder on the fact that He cares for us, we’ll understand that He takes on the provision to supply what’s necessary for our health, maintenance, protection, and well-being. Know that you are on the mind of Christ, and that He has you- and your life- in the palm of His hand. He has already purposed you to prosper (3 John 2); He has already prepared you, and He shall position you. Though you may feel that life has taken the best of you and Satan took the rest of you, I believe that God is going to re-invest in you! He’s going to re position you to excel and will put you in a position of power and authority over the things that once had power over you (Luke 10:19)!

Despise not where you are, for God is in the midst of you, and you shall not fail- just as Psalm 46:5 says! Remember, God did not bring you this far to leave you in this state. “But the God of all grace, who hath called us  unto His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you”.

 

Beloved, restoration is coming, and it is for you!♥

 

 

 

By Any Means Necessary — July 30, 2018

By Any Means Necessary

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When it comes to reaching destiny, you have to have a certain mindset to see God’s plans and purpose for you manifested on this side of Heaven: by. any. means. necessary. We’ve all heard this before, which we understand to mean “to do what is needed”. Merriam-Webster coins it to mean “by doing whatever is needed”, means being defined as : “to have in the mind as a purpose; to design for or destine to a specified purpose or future; to serve or intend to convey, show, or indicate”. When you have this mindset, you don’t care what you have to do, where you have to go, or who you have to go through; you just keep your eyes on the prize, conquering whatever comes before you.

When we are in pursuit of our God-given purpose and assignment, we have to understand that it will not come without a fight. The bible says that “we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” ( Ephesians 6:12), which simply means that we have a enemy that’s unseen with the natural eye who is working overtime daily to keep us from discovering and living out our God-given purpose and assignment. With this understanding, we find ourselves in a constant battle between the flesh and the spirit. Whichever one you feed will grow and dominate the other, so be wise about the decisions you make- as they determine your outcome. We can’t be weak, timid, and feeble trying to fulfill our purpose; we need to have the confidence of a warrior instead!

Because we are in a spiritual battle, we have to understand that we can’t fight in the flesh, but in the Spirit, and the only way to fight in the spirit is with the Spirit itself. The Holy Spirit( or Holy Ghost) graces those in whom He dwells with many benefits, which includes empowering that vessel with strength, knowledge and strategy to overcome the enemy. When we reach that  by any means necessary mental space, we are willing to do whatever it takes to defend our destiny, not worrying about the cost. 

I’ve recently heard a message that said that we keep looking for God where we last saw Him, but we haven’t realized that He’s moved on. I know that to be true in my life! It can be easy to get caught up in the “has been” or “used to”‘s with God, but we must realize that God is doing something new and wants to do new things through us! In order for that to happen,  we have to keep moving with God, or we’ll miss it. God goes from faith to faith, and from glory to glory, so we, too, will have to go from faith to faith and from glory to glory in order for Him to work through us. Now, we can’t go from faith to faith by doing the same ‘ole thing; we have to do more than before. We have to do something different.  If I’ve been getting up at 6 am to pray every morning but am no longer having an encounter with God during that time or that time isn’t as effective to me, it means that I have to do a little bit more because He’s elevated. God desires to take us to new places in Him, but we have to be willing to do whatever is necessary to reach those places. If you have to cut back on the time you spend on social media, cut back. If you have to turn down a few social invites because you feel the need to talk to God about that thing that’s been bothering you, then do it. If you have to deny yourself and fast longer or from one thing you’re strongly attached to, do it. Only you know what the Holy Spirit is directing you to do, and it’s up to you to do it. You’re destiny comes with a price of discipline, and you have to be willing to pay the cost.

 

I challenge you this week to do something you haven’t done before to make yourself more available to hear God’s voice. That could be one of the following:

  • Designate a time to pray this week ( life gets busy, but there’ll be more peace when you carve out time for God in each day).
  • Pray in the Holy Ghost for 5 more minutes than usual.
  • Read two chapters from the Bible each day this week.
  • Begin reading a book that’ll help build your understanding of spiritual things( I recommend Crash the Chatterbox” by Steven Furtick, especially if you have a difficult time with hearing God’s voice clearly. Paired with prayer and reading the Bible, it helps distinguish God’s voice from that of the enemy and the inner-me in your head).

Whatever you can think of to do that’ll stretch you spiritually this week, do it! I believe that when we become intentional about the things of God and being positioned to see God’s purpose and plan for our life, God will match that and exceed your expectations in every way. It can be intimidating, but know that “Greater is He that is within you than He that is in the world” ( 1 John 4:4). I believe in you, and so does our Father God!

 

Don’t forget: by any means necessary.

 

“And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.”

Matthew 11:12

 

 

God bless you, beloved ♥

He gives Seed to the Sower — June 25, 2018

He gives Seed to the Sower

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“Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.”

2 Corinthians 9:10

When you have a heart to be a blessing, God will provide opportunities for you to be a blessing. When you want to keep everything for yourself, you won’t have enough. The Bible is true in saying “it is more blessed to give than receive”. I feel that God has given me a heart to give, which is a blessing, but sometimes I don’t see it as such because I just want to give, give, give- even when I know I don’t have it to give. That sometimes causes me to be sad that I give so freely, but I feel that this morning, God has helped me to see the blessing in that: He gave me a desire to give because He’s made me a sower!!

When you sow seeds into others( hope, encouragement, money, time, etc.), God will ALWAYS provide for you to be a sower! That encouraged my heart this morning, and I pray that it does the same for you! Don’t be saddened by the fact that you like to give; REJOICE! And then pray for wisdom on when and how to give to others. God wants to bless His people, and when He gives someone a heart to sow, He’ll use them to do so! I pray that if you are a sower, that you find encouragement in the fact that you’ve been given provision to sow! And if you aren’t a sower or would like to give more, I pray that you will allow God to touch your heart to desire to give more.

I pray that you look for an opportunity today to be able to sow something positive into someone’s life.

Pray with me: “Lord, thank You for Your principle of giving. Thank You for what You’ve placed in my heart to give. I pray that You help me to never give grudgingly of my time, money, etc., but to give with JOY because You’ve given seed to the sower, meaning You’ve given me seed because You know that I’ll sow! Thank You for that confidence in me. Help me to find an opportunity to sow into someone’s life today in some way. In Jesus name,amen. ”

God bless you, dear ♥️

Known by God — June 8, 2018

Known by God

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“Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.”

(Jeremiah 1:5)

Isn’t it a wild thought that before you were ever who you are, God knew you? Before any mistake,any sin, any lie, anything you’ve ever done, God knew you? Let’s take a look at what that means: that means that before you ever did anything wrong, He knew who you were to Him: His sweet little girl. Before anything was in place in your life, He already had his mind made up about you. He knew every character trait you have, every strength, every talent, and every challenge. What’s even crazier to think of is how He still chose you, even with all of those things known. It may be hard to believe, but know that it’s true! Before the world was formed, when sin first entered the world, when Jesus came and gave His life to redeem us from sin, He had you in mind because He already knew you. To know someone or something means to be aware of through observation, inquiry, or information. It also means to have developed a relationship with(someone) through meeting and spending time with them; be familiar or friendly with. He already knew that you were more than that poor decision you just made, or what you’re struggling with. He already knew that you are bigger than the times you’ve fallen. God had relationship with us in eternity, and He has spent enough time with us to already have established thoughts about us. Those are the thoughts that matter to us, not the ones that linger from failure.

Our decisions are important to God, and though they matter, they don’t change His mind about us because. He knew that we would mess up and fall short more than we probably should, but He also knew what He saw and instilled within us before those moments. He wants us to know that we are not defined by the world, our own thoughts, or even our experiences. We are defined by the eyes of the Creator, and He says that we are His workmanship! We are complete in Him because His strength is made perfect in weakness. We are more than conquerors through Him. Everything His word lays out about us as His chosen people is truth. However, it’s up to us to believe and receive that. His word matters because He sees beyond our sin, weak areas, and struggles– He sees His truth that He placed within us.

No matter where you are today, know this: You are already chosen. You are chosen, even when the guy doesn’t choose you. You are already chosen even when someone gets the job instead of you. You are already chosen even when it seems you’ve been forgotten. God has your name carved into His hands, His heart, and His mind, and nothing can remove you from those places, except you. Make the choice today to choose God’s heart for you instead of the lies of the enemy that arose from the consequences of your sin. Just as God chose you despite Him knowing all you’d do, I pray that God helps you to choose Him day after day, moment after moment…even when He doesn’t answer when you feel that He should.

Know that your past mistakes haven’t hindered you from God’s love; it actually made you an even greater candidate for it. Despite what your present circumstances display, know that you have already been chosen by God, and He has treasures stored up for His chosen people. That includes you!

 

My prayer for you today is that God helps you to see that you were on His mind from the beginning of time, and even beyond where you are now. Nothing you do can make God love you any less. His love for you was established and etched into eternity, and cannot be removed by any means. Let the confident peace of God reign over you today, and let it clothe you in His love, knowing that you are already chosen ❤

In a free moment today, listen to this song, and let God’s love overshadow you wherever you are. There’s no justification for you to not receive His love♥