31/10/23
JOEL OSTEEN MINISTRIES
Today’s Word
Today’s Scripture
Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.
Proverbs 4:23, NIV
GUARD YOUR HEART AND MIND
Just as there are certain chemicals, hormones, and bacteria in our foods that can build up in our bodies and be harmful, there are all kinds of toxic thoughts—bitter, cynical, negative thoughts—that can build up in your mind and do great damage. They become part of who you are. That’s why the Scripture says to make guarding your heart and mind a top priority. If you’ve allowed those thoughts to take root, they will poison your future and sour your relationships.
It’s important that you cleanse your mind of the bitterness, the low self-esteem, the negative words spoken over you, the condemnation from past mistakes, and the discouragement that’s trying to become a part of you. You have to make a decision, rather than dwelling on those thoughts, you will dwell on what God says about you. If you keep your mind filled with thoughts of hope and faith, those toxic thoughts will grow weaker, and before long they won’t have any effect on you.
A PRAYER FOR TODAY
“Father, thank You that my heart and mind can be cleansed and renewed by Your Word. Thank You for the truth that sets me free. I declare that I will no longer meditate on negative, condemning thoughts, but I will dwell on what You say about me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”My friend, you are favored and accepted by God today because of His unmerited favor. Even if your life is a mess, He can take your mess and make it into something beautiful. Come to Him just as you are.
SECTION TWO
Years ago, one of my church members suddenly stopped coming to church for a long time. I met up with him to find out how he was doing and to see if everything was all right. He was very honest with me and told me that he was going through a lot of problems in his marriage, and that he was now addicted to alcohol. Then, he said this: “Let me get my life right, then I will come back to church.”
I smiled and asked him, “Do you clean yourself before you take a bath?” I could tell from his expression that he was taken aback by my question, so I told him, “Come as you are to the Lord. He is the bath. He will cleanse you. He will get your life in order for you, and He will cause every addiction to lose its hold on you. You don’t have to use your own efforts to clean yourself before you take a bath!”
I am glad to share that this precious brother soon returned to church and Jesus turned his life around. Today, he is happily married, blessed with a beautiful family, and is one of my trusted, key leaders. That is what the Lord does when you come to Him as you are, and allow Him to love you into wholeness. He will make all things beautiful in your life.
There are many people today who are like this brother. They want to get their lives together by themselves before they come to Jesus. They are under the impression that they need to make themselves holy before they can step into God’s holy presence. They feel like they are being hypocrites if they don’t sort out their lives first before coming to church.
Nothing could be further from the truth. You will never be able to make yourself holy enough to qualify for God’s blessings. You are made holy, righteous, and clean by the blood of Jesus Christ, and it is His righteous standing that qualifies you—nothing more and nothing less.
So stop trying to clean yourself before you go to the Lord. Come to Jesus with all your mess, all your addictions, all your weaknesses, and all your failures. God loves you just as you are.
However, He also loves you too much to let you stay the same. My friend, when you come to Jesus, He becomes your “bath.” He will wash you clean, whiter than snow! Jump into the bath today and allow Jesus to make you perfect, righteous, and holy in God’s eyes!
Dara Network TV 