Changing your location has nothing to do with your prosperity. It’s possible to be poor in a wealthy society, and it’s also possible to prosper in a poor society. You can prosper in the midst of adverse conditions where everyone else is failing, just as Isaac did when he obeyed the Lord! “Then Isaac sowed in that land, and reaped in the same year a hundredfold; and the Lord blessed him. The man began to prosper, and continued prospering until he became very prosperous” (Genesis 26:12-13).

Faith is BELIEVING when all apparent indicators tell you that things are not possible! Faith is KNOWING that regardless of what your body or your circumstances may be screaming at you, GOD has a different verdict for your situation!

Scripture says we are to “love others as we love ourselves” (Mark 12:33 author’s paraphrase).  Maybe the reason some people treat others so harshly is because that’s how they feel about themselves. They don’t see themselves as good enough or worthy enough, so to them no one else is either. When we comprehend the gospel we see that God loves us! He loved us so much that He gave His own Son to die for us!

Regardless of how uncertain things may appear looking into the year ahead, it is imperative that we stay strong in the face of adversity, and KNOW THAT THE GOODNESS OF GOD RESTS UPON US! Now more than ever, take the time to grow in intimacy with Him through His Word and prayer, and experience both His love for you and His reassuring hand upon you. HAPPY NEW YEAR!

What will the future hold for us as we stand once again on the threshold of a new year? I can predict with confidence that we are more than conquerors in every situation as Romans 8:37 declares! Why expect the worst when all things are possible to those who believe, as Jesus has spoken? Why believe it will be a time of isolation, when Jesus said I will never leave you nor forsake you?

God is NOT waiting for you to make a mistake so He can put a sickness or some calamity on you. It’s the devil who walks about like a roaring lion, looking for someone he can devour (1 Peter 5:8)! He’s the one trying to pervert the Word of God with evil schemes and tricks — he’s trying to convince you that what Jesus has already done for you is not really for you!

God is FOR you! He gave you the gift of eternal life so you would have peace of mind about your future. He gave you His promises for every area of your life so you would know His best for you. God is not hard, He is benevolent!

If you will train yourself to develop the habit of looking for beauty in the midst of chaos, difficulty and discouragement, you can rise up out of stagnation and hopelessness and find renewed courage and hope!

You are not what you appear to be as you go about your day. Never forget that you are empowered by the living God, and that same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives within you!

When the twelve spies came back from the Promised Land, ten of them couldn’t conceive of themselves winning in a battle with giants. Why? Because they saw themselves as grasshoppers. God was for them, but they were against themselves. See yourself achieving the impossible!