My name is Martin. I am 30 years old, and I reside in Chester, PA. I am a full-time accounting professional, and I also have my own business, Provident Business Services. I specialize in small business bookkeeping, income tax preparation and financial services. I've been providing these services since 1998, but I started Provident in 2002. As long as God has my back, I see nothing but good things for myself and my business. I believe that you should never let anyone tell you that you can't do anything that you put your mind to. Always believe in yourself, and believe in others that are doing good things as well, because we all can use encouragement from one another from time to time...
VERSE:“For if because of one man's trespass (lapse, offense) death reigned through that one, much more surely will those who receive [God's] overflowing grace (unmerited favor) and the free gift of righteousness [putting them into right standing with Himself] reign as kings in life through the one Man Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One)” (Romans 5:17, AMP).
THOUGHTS: It says here in Romans 5:17, “We are to reign in life as kings.” When God looks at us, He doesn’t see us in weak, defeated, leftover positions. Not at all. God sees you and me as rulers, as royalty. We have His royal blood flowing through our veins. You and I are supposed to reign. Do you know what that word “reign” means? It means “your time in power.” God said we’re to reign “in life.” That means as long as you’re alive that is your time in power. You don’t have a two-year term like the Mayor or a four-year term like the President. Your term is to rule and reign every single day, to be victorious, to rise to new levels, to accomplish great things.
Everyone has days when they don’t feel like royalty, they don’t feel powerful. On those days, if you can just remember to reach down and check your pulse, and as long as you feel something beating, you can say, “It’s still my time to reign!” Let that be a reminder to put on a new attitude. And sometimes you have to do this by faith. By faith you need to walk like a king, talk like a king, think like a king, dress like a king, smile like a king. Don’t go by what you see. Go by what you know. There is royalty in your DNA. You have the blood of a champion, and you were created to reign in life!
PRAYER:Father in heaven, thank You for making me an heir to Your promises. Thank You for giving me Your power so that I can rule and reign with You. Help me to see myself the way You see me so that I can live the abundant life You have in store for me. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
VERSE: "And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine bursts the wineskins, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But new wine must be put into new wineskins" (Mark 2:22, NKJ).
THOUGHTS: Are you ready for increase? Are you ready to go to the next level, spiritually, physically, and emotionally? !
In this passage of scripture, Jesus is basically saying that you can't go to a new level with an old way of thinking. Many people hear the truth that God has more in store and something resonates on the inside. Their spirit comes into agreement with God, but often times, the natural mind will try to talk them out it. Thoughts will come like, "It's not going to happen for you. You're not going to have a great year. You know what the economy is like." Or, "You're never going to get well. You saw what the medical report said." "You're never going to get married. You've been single so long." Friend, those are the old wineskins that you have to get rid of. This is a new season. What's happened in the past is over and done. You may have been through some disappointments, you may have tried and failed, or things didn't work out. That's okay. God is still in control. It's time to get a new vision for your life. It's time to open yourself to a new way of thinking so that you can receive all the blessings God has in store for you!
PRAYER: Father in heaven, today I choose to get rid of old wineskins. I choose to release old thinking, old habits, and anything that would keep me from Your best. Strengthen me by Your Spirit so that I can live my life in a way that pleases You. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
VERSE: “For we are the sweet fragrance of Christ which exhales unto God…” (2 Cor 2:15).
THOUGHTS: Did you know that your life is a sweet fragrance to God? Think about how a wonderful aroma affects you personally. When it’s springtime and the flowers are blossoming, everything feels new again. The sweet aroma in the air is a sign that the flowers are fresh and alive. It catches your attention! It makes you want to take a deep breath and partake of the wonderful sweet fragrance. God feels the same way about you! He loves wonderful aromas, and when you are living your life to please Him, it’s a beautiful fragrance that captures His attention! Just like the aroma in springtime is a sign that the flowers are alive, the aroma of your life is a sign that Christ is alive in you. It is pleasing to the Father! The next time you experience a fresh fragrance, remember that your life is a fragrance unto God. You can rest in knowing that He is pleased with a heart that seeks after Him. As you continue to seek Him, you’ll be that sweet fragrance, and you’ll experience His wonderful hand of blessing in every area of your life.
PRAYER: Father in heaven, I come to You today surrendering all that I am. May everything I do please You and be a wonderful fragrance to You. Keep me close to You today and always. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
VERSE: “This Book of the Law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall deal wisely and have good success” (Joshua 1:8).
THOUGHTS: Did you know that when you speak the Word of God, it activates power in your life? In fact, this verse says do not let it depart from your mouth. In other words, keep speaking and confessing the Word of God—no matter what your circumstances seem like. When you keep God’s Word in your mind, heart and mouth, it empowers you to obey all the Lord commands. Do you need strength today to overcome temptation? Do you need to be empowered to walk in love? Get the Word of God in your heart and declare what the Word of God says about your situation. Declare that you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you. Declare that you have God’s grace for all things. And notice what this verse says will happen when you are walking in obedience to God’s Word: The key to having abundance and success in every area of your life is found in the Word of God. As you continue to speak the Word of God, you will be empowered in every area of your life, and you will live the life of victory the Lord has in store!
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Word which gives me strength. Fill me with Your power so that I can obey Your Word. I bless You today. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
What are you Saying? VERSE: May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. Psalm 19:14
THOUGHTS: The words from this scripture remind me that my mouth can be pleasing to God or can be used for destruction. Isn t it amazing how one little part of our body can be used to glorify God and encourage others? Are the words from your mouth honoring God? If our hearts are focused on Godly things, then our words will declare the power and glory of God and show others the true Christ. Our words can reflect Christianity or unwholesomeness.
Mediation of our hearts should focus on God and not our situations. Doing that allows us to keep our mouths holy. Honoring God and respecting His love is the only way to keep our thoughts pleasing. Today as you are tempted to use the words of your mouth for gossip or negativity, try to focus on what God did for each of us. Focus on all He gives, then your heart will be pleasing to Him. Mediate on His awesome power that He freely provides to us. The power to overcome or to get through a situation. He gives guidance so we know what steps to take. He provides grace, mercy, forgiveness and love. As you mediate on the gifts He has provided, use your words wisely and for Godly purpose. Be pleasing with your thoughts and words to our Lord, for you are in His sight at all times. God bless.
VERSE: “A simple man believes anything, but a prudent man gives thought to his steps” (Proverbs 14:15).
THOUGHTS: Do you consider yourself to be prudent or wise? The Bible says that one of the characteristics of a prudent person is to give thought to their ways. So many people today just act, or re-act, based on their emotions or circumstances. They let the world around them determine how they should feel or what they should do. They believe everything they hear in the news. When the economy is up, they are up. When the economy is down, they are down. Don’t let that be you today! Give thought to your ways. Submit every decision to the Lord in prayer and allow Him to direct you from inside your heart. Don’t believe everything you hear. Let the Lord guide your steps. As you take time to meditate before the Lord and submit your plans to Him, Proverbs says that your ways will be established. You will find supernatural peace that passes understanding, and you will live in success all the days of your life!
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank You for Your faithfulness to me. Thank You for guiding and directing my steps. Help me each day to give thought to my ways and follow the good plan You have for me. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
THOUGHTS: We all have people in our lives that are difficult at times. Maybe it’s someone you work with, a family member or even your spouse. Relationships can be complicated, but remember: love never fails. The Word of God clearly defines love in 1 Corinthians 13. It says that love is patient and kind. It doesn’t seek its own way. Love doesn’t keep a record of wrongs. And most importantly, love never fails. Notice that this chapter doesn’t talk at all about how you feel. God’s love isn’t about feelings. It’s a choice. You can choose to be patient, even when you don’t feel like being patient. You can choose to be kind, even when you don’t feel like being kind. No matter what situation you find yourself in, you can choose love. You are never more like God than when you are walking in love. And when you are walking in love, you will never fail because love never fails. Open your heart to God’s love today. Ask Him to show you how to love others better. As you walk in love, you’ll find peace and live in victory all the days of your life!
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank You for Your love which never fails. Thank You for loving me so that I can be free to love others. Empower me, by Your Spirit, to walk in love no matter what I may face today. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
VERSE: “The earth was formless and void…and God said, Let there be light.” (Genesis 1:2-3).
THOUGHTS: Are you believing God for something today that seems impossible? We serve a great and mighty God. and He can create something out of nothing. He can make a way when there seems to be no way! Genesis tells us that in the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. But before He spoke the world into existence, it was formless and void. If God can make the world out of nothing, He can take the empty places in your life and create something beautiful, too! He can speak light into your darkest hour. He can take your formless dreams and give them shape. He can resurrect your dormant gifts and talents! He can make your crooked places straight!
Remember, you are created in the image of almighty God. There’s power in your words, and there’s power when you’re in agreement with Him. Start saying what God says about your situation. Speak life to your broken dreams, today. Stay in an attitude of faith and expectancy. As you do, God will take you places that you’ve never dreamed, and you’ll live in victory all the days of your life!
PRAYER: Father in heaven, I trust that You are willing and able to make a way where there seems to be no way in my life. Fill me with Your peace and faith and give me a vision for all You have for me. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
VERSE: “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me…” (Psalm 23:4).
THOUGHTS: Everyone faces challenges and difficulties in life. If you are going through a valley today, know that you are not alone. God is with you! He is working behind the scenes on your behalf, and He will carry you through. Remember, your challenges didn’t come to stay, they came to pass. Don’t get stuck in the valley by allowing your setbacks to become the focus of your life. Jesus endured the pain of the cross for the joy that was set before Him, and when you focus on your victory, you will be able to keep walking through that valley! Shake off bitterness and self-pity today and be determined to press forward. With God on your side, no weapon formed against you shall prosper. As you keep an attitude of faith and expectancy, your challenges will become easier, and you will move forward and live the life of victory the Lord has in store for you.
PRAYER: Father in heaven, thank You for Your faithfulness to me. Thank You for giving me strength during the difficult times. I trust that You are with me today and choose to focus on the victory You have in store. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
VERSE: “I don’t know whether he is a sinner,” the man replied. “But I know this: I was blind, and now I can see!” (John 9:25).
THOUGHTS: Jesus healed a blind man and the religious crowd got all upset. They started arguing over why he was healed, and how he was healed, and who was to blame for him being blind in the first place. They were hounding the man with questions. Finally, the man said, “Listen, guys. You all are confusing me. I can’t answer all of your questions. All I can tell you is this; I was blind, but now I can see.” He was saying, in effect, the proof of the pudding is in the eating. He was saying, “You can argue all day long, but I know the reason I can see is because of God’s healing in my life.”
There are people today who don’t think we are supposed to be blessed. They don’t think that God wants us to prosper and live in victory. But it’s too late to convince me because I’ve already experienced His blessing. He’s already prospered me. He’s already opened up supernatural doors. And a person with an experience is never at the mercy of a person with an argument. Some people don’t believe that God can still heal. But it’s too late to convince me. I’ve already seen how God healed my mother of terminal cancer in 1981. Some people don’t think that your dreams can come to pass. It’s too late to convince me. I see people live their dreams every day. I’ve seen God do more than I could even ask or think. And I believe He will do the same for you!
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I give You every bit of my life, my past, my present, and my future. Thank you for taking every experience in my life and turning it around for my good. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
VERSE: “When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, “Now go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish” (Luke 5:4).
THOUGHTS: Several times in Peter’s life, Jesus asked him to go the extra mile, to toss his fishing net over the other side of the boat—one more time. And these fishing nets weren’t small. They weren’t easy to move from side to side. They were very heavy. Peter was reluctant, but he did it anyway because Jesus asked him to, and the results were amazing.
It’s easy to get tired and discouraged when you’ve tried and tried and aren’t seeing the results you had hoped. But, when you hear the voice of the Master deep down inside saying, “Try it again,” know that things are about to change. It may be hard. It may not make sense. You may be tired, but that “one more time” can be the breakthrough you’ve been waiting for! When everything and everyone else says it’s time to give up, that’s when it’s time to go with God. When you obey Him, He’ll take the impossible and turn it into a miracle. You can trust that God is ordering your steps. He’s taking you down a path of victory and increase. Just like Peter, you’ll be amazed at what will happen when you follow His commands, just one more time!
PRAYER: Father in heaven, I choose today to follow Your commands, even when things seem difficult. I know that Your words bring strength, life, and blessing, and I will serve and honor You all the days of my life. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
VERSE: “This one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind I press forward to what lies ahead” (Philippians 3:13).
THOUGHTS: Are you determined to forget what lies behind? I know many people don’t fully understand what it means to forget the past. They wonder, “How can I forget something that’s happened to me?” But one definition of the word forget means to disregard intentionally, or to overlook. You have to intentionally disregard your past so that it doesn’t keep you from moving forward. That means the good and the bad. Sometimes our past victories keep us from rising higher as much as past failures. If we don’t let go of the old, we’ll never be able to embrace the new. It doesn’t matter what’s happened in your history, it’s time to forget what lies behind. Make the choice today to press forward. Trust that God has a better future in store for you. Trust that He’s working behind the scenes on your behalf. As you forget what lies behind and press forward, you will see the abundant life the Lord has in store for you!
PRAYER: Father in Heaven, I choose to forget the past today. I don’t want anything to hold me back from the future You have prepared for me. I choose forgiveness and ask that You help me, by Your Spirit, to press forward in every area of my life. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
VERSE:“For if because of one man's trespass (lapse, offense) death reigned through that one, much more surely will those who receive [God's] overflowing grace (unmerited favor) and the free gift of righteousness [putting them into right standing with Himself] reign as kings in life through the one Man Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One)” (Romans 5:17, AMP).
THOUGHTS: It says here in Romans 5:17, “We are to reign in life as kings.” When God looks at us, He doesn’t see us in weak, defeated, leftover positions. Not at all. God sees you and me as rulers, as royalty. We have His royal blood flowing through our veins. You and I are supposed to reign. Do you know what that word “reign” means? It means “your time in power.” God said we’re to reign “in life.” That means as long as you’re alive that is your time in power. You don’t have a two-year term like the Mayor or a four-year term like the President. Your term is to rule and reign every single day, to be victorious, to rise to new levels, to accomplish great things.
Everyone has days when they don’t feel like royalty, they don’t feel powerful. On those days, if you can just remember to reach down and check your pulse, and as long as you feel something beating, you can say, “It’s still my time to reign!” Let that be a reminder to put on a new attitude. And sometimes you have to do this by faith. By faith you need to walk like a king, talk like a king, think like a king, dress like a king, smile like a king. Don’t go by what you see. Go by what you know. There is royalty in your DNA. You have the blood of a champion, and you were created to reign in life!
PRAYER:Father in heaven, thank You for making me an heir to Your promises. Thank You for giving me Your power so that I can rule and reign with You. Help me to see myself the way You see me so that I can live the abundant life You have in store for me. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.