This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.

--- Psalms 118:24

Do you realize that today is a day that has never been seen before by any man? God has blessed you and allowed you to share this day on earth. He woke you up this morning and gave you new mercy (Lamentations 3:22, 23). That is worth rejoicing about, don't you think? Give God the glory for your life today! What are your plans for this year? What has God put into your spirit to do? Have you given it much thought? If not, today would be a good day to sit down and write out your dreams and goals. It has been said that people who actually have their goals written down on paper are the most successful in achieving their goals. If your life is not where you want to be, it's up to you to change it. Don't get frustrated and mad, make a plan. Get started now! Procrastination is a dream killer. Make a commitment and stick to the plan. Just do it! Make God the CEO of your life and put your plan before Him. He will direct your paths. There is a worship song that we sometimes sing in our church entitled, "This Is The Day." The song's lyrics remind us that no matter what is going on in our life, we are blessed because we have God and therefore we should always be thankful. This is a blessed day. It's a blessed year! Rise up and rejoice, for your blessings are on the way!

Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.

--- Psalms 37:4

What a great promise of God! God will give us the desires of our hearts if we delight in Him. Wouldn't life be wonderful if we had all our desires fulfilled? We would be on cloud nine every day. God wants to do just that, but He has one requirement for us --- that we delight also in the Lord. What exactly does that mean? The word delight means to be soft or pliable; to desire. God wants us to be soft and pliable in His hands and to desire Him above all things. When we have this kind of intimate relationship with God, He can pour out the blessings of our desires upon us because we will only desire those things that bring Him glory. I want to be soft and pliable in God's hands. Even as I am being molded and made into the image of Christ, I know that God is well pleased with me. He loves me just as I am, and my desire is to become more like Him. Do you want these things, too? Join me today in asking God to change you into the godly person He created you to be. The Lord loves you. Give Him your heart today. Allow Him to mold you and direct you. Seek Him first, and He will reveal to you the things that are good for you. Give Him full reign in your life. Spend as much time as you can building an intimate relationship with Him, learning of Him and receiving from Him. I guarantee you will fall in love with God, too, just as I have and you will soon delight in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart!

What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits toward me?

--- Psalms 116:12

Today God has a load of benefits and blessings just for you! For starters, He woke you up this morning. Now, the rest of the day can be a breeze --- if we choose for it to be. God does His part by giving us life. We have free will and must choose how we are going to live the life He has given us. God has already provided everything we need. He knows what is going to happen long before we know. The provision is there. The question that we must ask ourselves is --- are we going to take it? God's job is to provide, our job is to receive. When God led the children of Israel out of Egypt into the wilderness, He fed them manna from Heaven each day. "And they gathered it every morning, every man according to his eating; and when the sun waxed hot it melted" (Exodus 16:21). He cared for them day by day and not in advance. I believe this was to teach them to trust God each day for their provision. He wanted to show them that He would supply all their needs and that they could trust Him to provide their daily bread. Enjoy your day today. Receive the benefits God has provided for you. If you do not know what God has provided for you, read the Bible and find out. The promises are real and available to everyone who believes. When you know what God has for you, it will not be so easy for the enemy to upset you. Choose life!

Excerpted from JOY COMES THIS MORNING © Copyright 2011 by Norma DeShields Brown. Reprinted with permission by Kimani Press. All rights reserved.

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