“By day the Lord directs his love, at night his song is with me— a prayer to the God of my life.” (Psalm 42:8)

As time goes by

Everyone has exactly the same amount of time each day to use; a 24-hour period of 1,440 minutes, or 86,400 seconds.

Two brothers with two attitudes

I heard of twin brothers; one was negative, and the other was positive. One woke up each morning and said, “Good lord, it’s morning!” His sour attitude dictated his day, and it was filled with negativity. When the other brother woke up each morning, however, he said, “Good morning, Lord!” And his day was filled with positivity and joy. Both boys used the same words, but in a different order, with predictable results determined by their attitudes.

Choose positive!

No matter what your day is filled with, you can control your attitude.

“This is the day the Lord has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.” (Psalm 118:24)

Therefore

“My mouth is filled with your praise, declaring your splendor all day long.” (Psalm 71:8)

Prayers to start each day

“So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.” (Psalm 99:12)

“Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.” (Psalm 25:5)

Seven wonderful benefits are listed in the following passage to thank and praise God for.

“Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits—who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” (Psalm 103:1-6 NIV)

1.     Forgives all your sins.

2.     Heals all your diseases.

3.     Redeems your life from the pit.

4.     Crowns you with love.

5.     Crowns you with compassion.

6.     Satisfies your desires with good things.

7.     Renews your youth like an eagle’s.

Therefore

“Praise the Lord, all his works everywhere in his dominion. Praise the Lord, my soul.” (Psalm 103:22 NIV)

“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the LORD. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. (Isa. 55:8 NLT)

We are limited

 Have you ever watched one of those old TV gameshows where the excited moderator tells the contestant to choose one of two doors, behind which are prizes? One is worth a lot of money, such as a brand-new car or a fancy vacation to some exotic destination, and the other is a gag prize, such as a goat or an electric doorknob polisher. It’s a complete guessing game, and the clueless contestant has no way of knowing what’s behind each door. It’s a tense moment of nervous anticipation as everyone waits for them to choose and then to see the reveal.

In a sense, this is how life is

You live your life day by day, not knowing what's ahead of you; sometimes you encounter positive events and other times the opposite. In the movie, Forest Gump, he famously said, “Life is like a box of chocolates; you never know what you're going to get!” The entire movie was about his choices and where they directed him.

You have a great advantage!

God has all the information you lack! He understands what's ahead of you and what the best choices are for you to make! His understanding is way above yours! And the best part is that you can ask Him for guidance.  

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.” (James 1:5)

Therefore 

“For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.” (Isa. 55:9 ESV)

“Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths.” (Psalm 25:4)

“…as he is so also are we in this world.” (1 John 4:17b ESV)

What Jesus said he came to do

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

Therefore 

“Whoever claims to abide in Him must walk as Jesus walked.” (1 John 2:6 ESV)

“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.” (John 14:12-14 ESV)

Short but powerful promise

“Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, …

Therefore

…and he will repay him for his deed.” (Prov. 19:17)

Short but powerful promise

“No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man…

Therefore

…God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” (1 Cor. 10:13)

Short but powerful promise

“He gives power to the faint, and …

Therefore

… to him who has no might he increases strength.” (Isa. 40:29)

“Blessed are those who mourn,”

Therefore

“for they shall be comforted.” (Matt 5:4)

Short but powerful promise

“And after you have suffered a little while,”

Therefore

“the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.” (1 Peter 5:10)