You Were Not an Accident

You Were Not an Accident TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: Before I formed you in the womb I knew you… Jeremiah 1:5, NIV. TODAY'S WORD: God knew you before you were even born. What an amazing thought! He saw your unformed substance and said, “I have a purpose for this life. I have good plans for them!” Then He breathed His life into you and sent you through your mother and father. They may have had issues, but that doesn’t have to stop you from becoming all that God intended for you to be. You have been handpicked by Almighty God to be here at this time in history! Sometimes we hear parents say, “We weren’t expecting this child. They were a surprise. They were an accident.” No, that child may have been a surprise to the parents, but they weren’t a surprise to Almighty God. No child can be born without God breathing His life into them. You may think, “Well, I was unwanted. I was an unplanned pregnancy.” No, you wouldn’t be here if God didn’t give life to your seed. In God’s eyes, there is no such thing as being illegitimate. Remember, He knew you before you were ever born! Find confidence in His love knowing that you are a person of destiny, and you are part of His mighty plan! PRAYER FOR TODAY: Father, thank You for choosing me before I was ever born. Thank You for knowing me and revealing Yourself to me. I trust that You are working in my life today, even when I can't see it. I stand in faith knowing that You have a mighty plan for me in Jesus' name. Amen.

Where Can I Find Uncommon Courage?

by Rick Warren

“So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.”(Hebrews 10:35 NIV)

In a politically correct country full of attacks on biblical worldview, how do you live with uncommon courage? There are two things you need to do:

1. You need to accept God’s Word as your authority. Why? Because it is the only source that will never lie to you. If you’re going to be a man or woman of courage, you need to build your life on the rock that never changes, not on popular opinion. Build your life on the understanding that “God said it, I believe it, and that settles it — whether I understand it or not.” Hebrews 6:18 says, “God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us”(NLT).

You will build your life on either the world or the Word. I say things all the time that are unpopular. Why? Because I fear displeasing God more than I do your rejection.

If you don’t know what you believe, you need to figure it out. Your local church is a great resource and can help you find the material that will help you get deeper in and more familiar with God’s Word.

2. You need to spend personal time with Jesus. “The leaders saw that Peter and John were not afraid to speak, and they understood that these men had no special training or education. So they were amazed. Then they realized that Peter and John had been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13 NCV). The more time you spend with Jesus, the less you are going to be intimidated by the opinions of others and the more courage you’re going to have.

Standing courageously for an unpopular opinion isn’t easy, but the rewards of standing courageously for the truth will last forever. Hebrews 10:35 says, “So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded” (NIV).

If you want to have an uncommon courage, pray this prayer today:

“God, I want to be a person of courage. I don’t want to back down. I don’t want other people to control what I say or think. I want to build my life on a biblical worldview. I make these two commitments today: First, I accept your Word as my authority. You say it, I believe it, and that settles it. Second, Lord, I want to spend time with you every day. I want to get to know you personally. I want to be so full of joy and courage that people say, ‘That person’s been with Jesus.’ I ask you to help me to be fearless for the truth. In your name I pray. Amen.”