Just today

My friend named Althea Cabal inspired me to wrote this one. I hope even on prayers I will be able to help you, my friend. This is my secret for my joy and loving life.

We Have Just One Chance, One Opportunity to Live Today

Each time the clock strikes midnight, one day becomes history and a new one begins. We can’t go back, and we can’t jump ahead. If you are like me, you see every today as a chance to be all you can be for Jesus, and to experience His abundant life. I don’t want to miss out on one thing about today, but sometimes the enemy can steal my joy in the present by getting me to regret the past or worry about the future.

Have you noticed that Satan tries to ruin our todays by bringing up negative things that have happened in the past? He wants us to remember every hurt, every offense, every injustice and every mistake, but the fact is, what’s happened has happened. You can’t go back, and neither can I. But we can make sure that the past doesn’t ruin our today.

Satan also tries to steal our joy, peace and contentment by tempting us to worry about the future, fearing what hasn’t happened yet. His is the voice that whispers, "What if I lose my job? What if I can’t pay my bills? What if my child doesn’t come back to God? What if the doctor’s report is bad or my marriage can’t be restored?" Trust me; the enemy will try to ruin your today by causing you to worry about tomorrow. Don’t let him do it.

The Bible is very clear about what we should do with the past: forget it! Let it go! Paul wrote, "Brethren…one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal…" and Jesus said "No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God." God’s word is also clear about the future: "Therefore do not be anxious for tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

So how do we keep from missing out on the abundant life God has for us today? We forget the past, stop worrying about the future, and make sure our focus is fixed during the first ten minutes of each new day. Behavioral scientists have discovered that the first ten minutes is often the most important part of the day. Why? Because the first ten minutes can set the course of the entire day! When we start the day with a positive attitude of faith, looking expectantly toward what God will do, most of the time we have a positive day.

There are many things in life we cannot choose.

We cannot choose our parents, or the color of our skin, or the family into which we are born. Many things are beyond our control, but our attitude is not. We can choose to have a positive mindset, and turn our thoughts toward God’s goodness.

To help you do this, let me give you three strategies for the first ten minutes of your day.

1. Choose to serve the Lord with all your heart.

Every morning we have the opportunity to choose who we are going to serve; who we are going to live to please that day. Every morning we can consecrate ourselves to the Lord. You might pray something like this: Lord, You are my highest desire. I want to serve You and please You in every aspect of my life today. This is the day You have made. I choose to rejoice and be glad in it!

2. Choose to be happy and full of joy.

Joy and gladness don’t just happen to us – we choose them! We may not feel happy or joyful, but when we act in happy, joyful ways, our feelings will begin to respond to our choices. So recount God’s faithfulness to you. Thank Him for all He has done, and remember the ways that He has delivered you in the past. Don’t focus on what you haven’t got – be grateful for what you have. Put a song in your heart, and sing it all day long. Jesus said, "In the world you will have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world."

3. Choose to look to God to provide for your needs.

God says we are to ask Him for our daily bread. He is Jehovah Jireh – the all–sufficient One. He never runs out of what we need! When the children of Israel gathered manna, there was always enough. They were never lacking, and didn’t have to work for it. But they did have to look to Him to provide it, and receive it from His hand. Trust God to meet your needs at the beginning of every day.

As you being each day with these three choices, you will be sure to make the most of each and every "today."