Category Archives: Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Quick to Forgive

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Be gentle and forbearing with one another and, if one has a difference (a grievance or complaint) against another, readily pardoning each other; even as the Lord has [freely] forgiven you, so must you also [forgive]. – 1 Colossians 3:13

The world is filled with pain and hurting people; and my experience has been that hurting people hurt others. The devil works overtime among God’s people to bring offense, strife, and disharmony, but we can be thankful that God gives us a tool to disappoint and defeat the devil: We can be quick to forgive.

Forgiveness closes the door to Satan’s attack so that he cannot gain a foothold that might eventually become a stronghold. It can prevent or end strife in our relationships with others. No wonder Scripture tells us over and over that we are to forgive those who hurt or offend us. Jesus made forgiveness a lifestyle, and He taught us to do the same. This is essential to living a joy-filled life.

Prayer of Thanks Father, I am so thankful for the forgiveness You have given me through Jesus and for the grace to be able to forgive others. Regardless of what others have done to hurt or offend me, today I choose to forgive those who have caused me pain. Thank You for helping me to live out that forgiveness each new day.

 

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Trust God

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Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding. – Proverbs 3:5

The secret things belong unto the Lord our God, but the things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all of the words of this law. – Deuteronomy 29:29

I have heard many people say that reading the Bible is confusing. They say, “I have tried to read the Bible, but I don’t understand what God is saying, and I end up feeling frustrated and confused.”

In seeking God’s guidance regarding this situation, I sensed Him saying, People keep trying to figure out everything. Tell them to stop trying to reason and explain everything. As the above verses point out, we cannot always rely on our understanding. There are some things that we are not meant to know or understand.

Moses understood this concept, and he explained to the children of Israel that there are “secret things” known only to God. He pointed out that when God revealed His will, ¬making things clear-those were the words they should obey.

It really is that simple. Like the psalmist, we can say, Give me understanding, that I may keep Your law; yes, I will observe it with my whole heart (Psalm 119:34). We must ask God to show us what to do, and then we must not question it when He reveals it to us.

Too often people try to reason things out, but that can be dangerous. When we start trying to figure out why God says or does something, our first mistake is thinking we’re smart enough to understand the mind of God.

Reasoning can also move us in a particular direction that, although it may seem logical, may not be the will of God. A biblical account found in l Samuel is a good illustration of this point.

Saul, the first king of Israel, made a decision to offer sacrifices. As a part of the tribe of Benjamin, it was unlawful for him-even as the king-to offer sacrifices. The king and his army waited several days for Samuel, the high priest, to arrive. But eventually Saul grew impatient (or perhaps fearful) and offered sacrifices just before the holy man arrived. When Samuel rebuked Saul for doing such a thing, the king had what he believed to be a reasonable explanation: l thought, The Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication to the Lord. So I forced myself to offer a burnt offering (l Samuell3:12).

Samuel rebuked the king, told him he had acted foolishly, and said the Lord was going to strip him of the kingdom. That was Saul’s mistake. He reasoned that it would be wise to sacrifice, and he didn’t wait to hear from God.

The human mind likes logic, order, and reason. We like to deal with issues we can wrap our understanding around and come up with solutions that make sense to us. We have a tendency to think small because we are limited creatures, and we don’t have the perspective to understand from God’s point of view. We tend to put things in tiny, neat compartments in our minds, telling ourselves this must be right because it fits nicely there.

By contrast, we read the words of the apostle Paul: I am speaking the truth in Christ. I am not lying; my conscience [enlightened and prompted] by the Holy Spirit bearing witness with me (Romans 9:1). He was making the point that he was doing the right thing-not because he had figured it out or analyzed the situation, but because his actions bore witness in his spirit.

That’s the attitude you need in your life. You need to depend on God to show you things in such a way that you know-with an inner certainty-that what has been revealed to your mind is correct. You must not allow yourself to reason with your mind, searching for logical solutions. Instead, you must say, “My trust is in the Lord, and whatever He tells me to do, I will obey.”

Dear God, thank You for loving me more than I can even comprehend. In the name of Jesus Christ, I ask You to help me love and honor You so much that when You speak, I will have only one thought in my mind, and that is to obey. Amen.

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Follow Wisdom

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I, Wisdom [from God], make prudence my dwelling, and I find out knowledge and discretion. – Proverbs 8:12

There is a lot of powerful information in this small scripture—information you would do well to explore. In the Scriptures being prudent means being good stewards or managers of the gifts that God has given you to use. Those gifts include time, energy, strength, and health, as well as material possessions.

Each of us has been given a different set of gifts, and each of us has different abilities to manage those gifts. It is your individual responsibility to develop knowledge and discretion as to how you can best use your gifts. You do this by listening to the Lord and obeying what He tells you to do.

Following Wisdom is an excellent choice—one that will bring you many blessings!

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Go with the Flow

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Brethren, for this reason, in [spite of all] our stress and crushing difficulties we have been filled with comfort and cheer about you [because of] your faith (the leaning of your whole personality on God in complete trust and confidence). – 1 Thessalonians 3:7

Go with the flow, and stop being anxious about things that may never happen. If you really trust God, you don’t need a backup plan. Faith means that you have peace even when you don’t have all the answers.

Life will always be stressful if you constantly try to rearrange it. For example, getting upset in a traffic jam doesn’t get you out of it any sooner. But planning for obstacles will inspire you to leave a little earlier for your appointments and keep you from hurrying. Grow in wisdom, and place high priority on keeping your peace in spite of any jams you get into today.

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Look to the Future for Your Reward

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For the time being no discipline brings joy, but seems grievous and painful; but afterwards it yields peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it [a harvest of fruit which consists in righteousness—in conformity to God’s will in purpose, thought, and action, resulting in right living and right standing with God]. – Hebrews 12:11

We should look to the future, determine what we want to see happen, and then discipline ourselves in order that we may have it. We must not buy into the lie that we should only live for the moment or that the present is all we have. We also have a future to consider, and we need to begin to live with an eye toward “after ward,” toward the “later on” times. We have to begin to care just as much or more about later on than we care about right now.

If you want to be thinner when the time comes to wear your swimsuit in June, you need to start eating healthily and exercising before summer arrives. If you want to be able to afford a new car next year, you need to work toward getting out of debt right now. If you dream of living in a nice, clean, orderly home, you have to clear out the clutter and clean it up!

Discipline may not be pleasant for your flesh while you’re doing it, but it will give you a tremendous sense of satisfaction in your soul—the satisfaction that comes from knowing you are making good choices. If you will pay the price to be disciplined now, you will enjoy rewards later. If you don’t pay the price now to do what is right, then you’ll suffer the consequences of an undisciplined life later. You can pay now or you can pay later, but at some point, we all reap the harvest of the choices we’ve made. We can’t simply wish our lives were different; we have to press through laziness, fleshly desires, and bad attitudes and refuse to give up on the discipline that will yield good fruit later on. If there is something you want to see happen in your future, start disciplining yourself toward it now, and later on you will enjoy the fruit of it.

Trust in HimGod’s Word in Hebrews 12:11 says “no discipline brings joy . . . but afterwards . . .” If you discipline yourself now, you can trust that He’ll bring you great reward afterward.

 

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Believe in Prayer

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Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. —Philippians 4:6 NLT

How many problems have you solved by worrying? How much time have you spent worrying about things that didn’t end up happening? Has anything ever gotten better as a result of your worrying about it? Of course not!

The instant you begin to worry or feel anxious, give your concern to God in prayer. Release the weight of it and totally trust Him to either show you what to do or take care of it Himself.

Prayer is the blueprint for a successful life. During His time on Earth, Jesus prayed. He entrusted everything to God—even His reputation and life. We can do the same. Don’t complicate your communication with God. Believe in Him and ask Him for what you need through simple, confident prayers.

Power Thought: Worry accomplishes nothing. I trust in the Lord.

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Strategically Placed

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For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and dense darkness [all] peoples, but the Lord shall arise upon you [O Jerusalem], and His glory shall be seen on you. – Isaiah 60:2

I believe the lives of God’s people are going to get better and better, but the lives of those who are still in bondage to the world will get worse and worse as they sink deeper and deeper into despair and depression. The light of God will intensify in us as we allow Him to work in us and make us the kind of vessels through which His glory can shine.

God is willing to purge us and cleanse us of the things in our lives that are not like Christ, if we will welcome His fire into our lives. Ask Him to work in you and cleanse you of anything that is hindering Him from flowing through you. Like a gardener, God wants to prune off all the dead things in our life so we can bear good fruit for Him.

I believe God has strategically placed His people all over the world, in every company, every marketplace, every hospital, school, and so on. As the darkness in the world becomes darker in these last days, His glory will shine brighter on those who belong to Him. Then we will be able to help the lost find their way.

This is the day for believers to shine and be used by God as never before. The world will not be won through a handful of preachers. We desperately need an army of people available for one-on-one ministry in their neighborhoods, at their work, and in the marketplace. This is why I implore you today to make a deeper commitment to God than ever before. Not only do you need God; He also needs you!

Don’t discount yourself by believing that God could not possibly use you. He can; He wants to; and He will!

Love Others Today: God has strategically placed you where you are right now. Be a light that shines in the darkness.

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – “In” But Not “Of”

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I have given and delivered to them Your word (message) and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world [do not world], just as I am not of the world.- John 17:14

The verse for today teaches us that as believers we are in the world but not of the world, which means that we cannot take a worldly view of things. Not becoming like the world in our ways and attitudes requires constant vigilance. Watching too much graphic violence in the form of entertainment, as happens in the world, can sear or harden our consciences and reduce our sensitivity to God’s voice. Many people in the world today are desensitized to the agonies real people suffer because they see tragedies portrayed so often on television.

The news media frequently delivers negative reports or tragic stories in unemotional, matter-of-fact ways and we often see and hear these things without feeling. We hear of so many terrible things that we no longer respond to it with the appropriate emotions of compassion or outrage we should display.

I believe these things are part of Satan’s overall plan for the world. He wants us to become hard-hearted and unengaged emotionally when we become aware of horrible events that take place around us. He does not want us to care about those affected by such things. But, as Christians, we should care, we should feel, and we should pray. Whenever we hear about what is happening in the world, we should ask God for His perspective and inquire as to how He wants us to respond. We then need to listen for His response and act accordingly. This is one way we can be in the world but not of the world.

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Prayer Doesn’t Have to Be Long

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Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know. – Jeremiah 33:3 NIV

The length of our prayers really makes no difference to God. All that matters is that we pray the way He is teaching us to pray and that our prayers are Spirit- led, heartfelt, thankful, and accompanied by faith. Throughout the Bible, there are incredibly brief, but powerful, prayers. Here are a few of them:

Moses prayed for his sister: “Heal her now, O God, I beseech You!” (Numbers 12:13).

Elijah prayed: “O Lord my God, I pray, let this child’s soul come back to him” (1 Kings 17:21 NKJV).

Jesus prayed: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do” (Luke 23:34 NKJV).

There will be times when you’ll pray longer prayers than others, but there is no correlation between how many minutes or hours we pray and whether God hears us. Just one word spoken to Him in faith from a sincere heart can reach His heart and move His hand.

Prayer of Thanks Thank You, Father, that I can pray to You from my heart, no matter how long or short that prayer may be. I am grateful that I can just be myself when I’m with You.

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Still, Small Voice

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And He said, Go out and stand on the mount before the Lord And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire [a sound of gentle stillness and] a still, small voice.- 1 Kings 19:11-12

Someone once told me of a one-act play with three characters-a father, a mother, and a son who had just returned from Vietnam who are sitting at a table to talk The play lasts thirty minutes, and they all get their chance to talk. There’s only one problem: No one listens to the others.

The father is about to lose his job. The mother had once held just about every office in their church, and now younger women are pushing her aside. The son struggles with his faith. He had gone to war, seen chaos and death, and now is bewildered about life.

At the end of the play, the son stands and heads toward the door. “You haven’t heard a word I’ve said,” is his parting remark, as he walks out of the room. The parents look at each other, and the mother asks, “What did he mean?”

What the parents didn’t get and the audience obviously does is that the son struggles to believe in a loving, caring God. Every time he tries to explain, one of the parents interrupts with something they want to say. The soldier needed to hear from God. Hoping his mother or father would be the channel through which God would speak, he went to them. However, they were not available for God to use because they were not quiet enough to hear Him. All three of them were so distraught and noisy that they all left the same way they came. What might have happened had they really listened to one another, and then quietly prayed and waited on God? I am sure the outcome would have been very different and much more rewarding.

In the opening scripture, I quoted part of the story of Elijah to make this point clear. That deeply committed prophet had defied the wicked King Ahab and Queen Jezebel for years. The big moment came on Mount Carmel when Elijah destroyed 450 prophets of Baal. Later, when Queen Jezebel threatened to kill him, he ran away, apparently in terror.

He must have been worn out by the powerful events. Then suddenly the man was alone, with no crowds, no one trying to kill him, and no one to talk to. Just before the two verses mentioned above, Elijah had gone into a cave to hide out. When God asked him what he was doing there, he spoke of his zeal for God. Then he told God that the children of Israel had gone astray, killing prophets, And I, I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away (v. 10).

God brought strong winds, falling rocks, an earthquake, and fire. I think that was the way Elijah expected God to appear in the miraculous and powerful. But the writer tells us God wasn’t in those things.

This is really the spiritual principle of God at work. We can find the devil in the noise and the shouts. We can find the devil with big attractions to lead us astray. But God likes to speak in the still, small voice the voice that not everyone will hear the voice that only the committed will listen for.

As long as Elijah sought the dramatic, he wouldn’t hear God. But when he pulled back and listened for the inner voice, the soft, non-demanding voice of the Holy Spirit, Elijah could communicate with God.

What kind of voice from God are you listening for? Will you recognize the still, small voice when you hear it? Do you take time to be quiet and just listen? If not, there is no better time to begin than right now.

Wise God, like Elijah and many others, I often look for the loud, the exciting, and the showy. I know that You sometimes use healings and miracles, but I ask You to help me listen most of all in the soft stillness for the quiet ways in which You speak. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

 

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Acknowledge God

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In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths.- Proverbs 3:6

Acknowledging the Lord in all your ways means submitting all your plans to Him and allowing Him to work them out according to His will and desire for you. He wants you to come to know Him in the power of His resurrection (see Philippians 3:10).

It is a sign of maturity to seek God for who He is and not only for what He can do for you. So as you pause at the end of your day, seek God’s face (His presence) and get to know your wonderful, loving heavenly Father better. Acknowledge His power and experience the joy of walking in the paths He chooses for you.

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Joy Unspeakable

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Now to Him Who is able to keep you without stumbling or slipping or falling, and to present [you] unblemished (blameless and faultless) before the presence of His glory in triumphant joy and exultation [with unspeakable, ecstatic delight].- Jude 1:24

I used to be so miserable when I went to bed that I wished it was time to get up. And when I got up, I was still so miserable I wanted to go back to bed. I was under the curse of not obeying the voice of the Lord or serving Him with joyfulness (see Deuteronomy 28:15–48).

Obedience to God fills our lives with so much joy that we don’t even know how to talk about it. The Bible calls it “joy unspeakable and full of glory” (1 Peter 1:8 KJV). Experience the joy of being in God’s awesome presence. Start your day by praising God for your blessings, and worshiping Him with a heart ready to serve Him.

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Confidence Leads to Reward

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Do not, therefore, fling away your fearless confidence, for it carries a great and glorious compensation of reward.- Hebrews 10:35

Anytime I talk about fear, I think back to my first really sizable speaking engagement. I actually got to stand in front of what would now be a small group of people, but then looked like a million people to me. One of the workshop leaders for this event canceled and because somebody knew somebody who knew somebody who knew somebody who knew me—I was asked to speak at the event. I was not their first choice, but God opened a door of opportunity and I gladly took it.

On opening night all of the speakers were sitting together. It was Dr. So-and-So, and Bishop So-and-So, and Reverend So-and-So, and Joyce. The devil was screaming in my ears, “What are you doing here? Why don’t you go back to Fenton where you came from? You are going to make a fool out of yourself!” I listened so much to what the devil was telling me that when it was my time to go up front and introduce myself and tell everybody what my workshop was going to be about, all I got out was a squeak. I was so scared; I was a mess. And I’m not even a really fearful person! But I let the fearful thoughts in.

Think about how much calmer you can be by just stopping your thinking about some of the things you’re thinking about. If you believe you’re doing what God wants you to do, then just do it. Now I just show up and trust God. Recently I spoke to nearly half a million people in India and I wasn’t nervous at all. It gets easier when you have more experience trusting God; there is no doubt about that.

I remember having to make a decision the night of that first speaking engagement, to either open my mouth and try again or to run. Obviously, I tried again because here we are. What makes me sad is wondering how many people never try again.

Trust in Him Conquer your fear by trusting God and doing what He tells you to do, even if you have to do it again and again and again before you succeed.

 

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Undeveloped fruit

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I am the Vine; you are the branches. Whoever lives in Me and I in him bears much (abundant) fruit. – John 15:5

Have you ever responded unbecomingly to a situation (with anger or impatience, for example) and thought, Who is this person? I thought I was nice and sweet!

Sometimes we think we already have the fruit of the Spirit fully developed in us simply because we are Christians (see Galatians 5:22–23). But when we are caught off guard, or our fruit is “squeezed,” we find out just how undeveloped the fruit in us actually is. These incidents are tests that are actually very good for us because they help us know the areas where we are weak and still need to grow.

The more you practice displaying the fruit of self-control in your thoughts, words, and actions, the riper the fruit will become. I encourage you to depend on God’s grace (underserved favor and blessing) to work through you to produce the fruit needed. If we “try” outside of Him, we will fail, but when we partner with Him, we see His will come to pass. Stay attached to the Vine (see John 15), and your fruit will appear at the right time.

Power Thought: I have self-control over my thoughts, words, and actions.

 

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Things Unseen

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Since we consider and look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen; for the things that are visible are temporal (brief and fleeting), but the things that are invisible are deathless and everlasting.— 2 Corinthians 4:18

As believers, we know the spiritual realm exists and that what happens there affects what happens on earth. We know that there is more to life than meets the eye, and as we grow spiritually, we come to value the things that are invisible more than the things we can see. When we understand that there are invisible, everlasting spiritual realities that affect our earthly lives, we begin to perceive that God is inviting us to interact with Him, to perceive things spiritually, and to partner with Him to accomplish them on earth—and that only happens through prayer.

As we partner with God through prayer, we bring things out of the spiritual realm into our lives. These gifts of God that come from heaven are already stored up for us, but we will never have them unless we pray and ask God for them. He is doing such wonderful things for us, and we receive and enjoy those things through the power and the privilege of prayer.

The Lord’s Prayer says, “Your will be done on earth even as it is in heaven.” When we pray that way we are partnering with God through prayer so that the purposes and plans He has in the spiritual realm will come to pass on earth—in our lives and in the lives of those around us. Through prayer we have the privilege of bringing heaven to earth!

Loving God Today: Remember that the spiritual realm is real and that what happens there affects your life on earth.

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Freedom of a Child

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Then little children were brought to Jesus, that He might put His hands on them and pray; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them. But He said, Leave the children alone! Allow the little ones to come to Me, and do not forbid or restrain or hinder them, for of such [as these] is the kingdom of heaven composed. Matthew 19:13–14

Children seem to be able to make a game out of anything. They quickly adjust, don’t have a problem letting other children be different than they are, and are always exploring something new. They are amazed by everything!

Oswald Chambers wrote in My Utmost for His Highest: “The freedom after sanctification is the freedom of a child, the things that used to keep the life pinned down are gone.” We definitely need to watch and study children and obey the command of Jesus to be more like them (see Matthew 18:3). It is something we have to do on purpose as we get older. We all have to grow up and be responsible, but we don’t have to stop enjoying ourselves and life.

Don’t let the world steal your confidence. Remember that you have been created on purpose by the hand of God. He has a special, unique, wonderful plan for you. Go for it! Don’t shrink back, conform, or live in fear.

Lord, I can’t be a child again, but I can have the freedom and the wonder of a child. I come to You as a child now, and I ask You to renew a childlike faith in me. Amen.

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Make the Sacrifice

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Through Him, therefore, let us constantly and at all times offer up to God a sacrifice of praise, which is the fruit of lips that thankfully acknowledge and confess and glorify His name. Hebrews 13:15

We often interpret the “sacrifice of praise,” mentioned in the verse for today, to mean nothing more than praising God when we do not feel like praising Him, and that can certainly be a type of sacrifice. But, I believe the writer of Hebrews is actually making reference to the Old Testament sacrificial system that required the blood of animals to atone for people’s sins.

We, however, live in New Testament times, when we no longer need to put slain sheep and goats and bulls on an altar. Instead, the sacrifice—the offering—God wants from us today is to hear right words coming out of our mouths. Just as the smoke and the aroma of the animal sacrifices went up before His throne under the Old Covenant, the praise from our hearts rises up as a sacrifice before Him today. In Hebrews 13:15, the Lord was really saying, “The sacrifice I want now is the fruit of your lips thankfully acknowledging Me.”

We need to apply this scripture to our everyday lives, making sure we speak God’s praises every chance we get. We need to tell people about all the great things He’s doing for us; we need to thank Him and tell Him we love Him. In our hearts and with our mouths, we should say continually, “Lord, I love You. Thank You so much for everything You’re doing in my life. Lord, I praise You for taking care of everything that concerns me today.” We need to be people of praise, acknowledging God “constantly and at all times,” continually offering up to Him the sacrifice of praise.

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – This Is a Test

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And you shall [earnestly] remember all the way which the Lord your God led you these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and to prove you, to know what was in your [mind and] heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not.Deuteronomy 8:2

The Bible says that God led the Israelites in the wilderness for forty years to humble them, to prove them, and to see if they would keep His commandments. Tests come in hard times, not good times, because not everything God asks us to do is going to be easy. That is why He tests us to see if we are ready and able before He promotes us to a higher level of responsibility. There are so many things that come our way every day that are just nothing more than a test.

For example, sometimes when we have to wait to be seated at a table in a restaurant and then get a bad meal, it’s a test. Sometimes when our boss tells us to do something we don’t want to do, it’s a test. James 1:2-4 says that tests bring out what is in us. It is in times of trial that we become best acquainted with ourselves and what we are capable of doing. Peter didn’t think he would ever deny Jesus, but when he was put to the test, that is exactly what he did. God is not impressed with what we say we will do; He is impressed with what we prove we will do under pressure.

We don’t get promoted in ministry because we have our Bible underlined in two colors but because we have been tested and tried, and we dug in and we passed the tests even though it was hard. James writes, Blessed (happy, to be envied) is the man who is patient under trial and stands up under temptation, for when he has stood the test and been approved, he will receive [the victor’s] crown of life which God has promised to those who love Him. (James 1:12)

 

 

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Are You Distracted or Determined?

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“Few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” Luke10:42 NIV

In order to enjoy the present moment and the gifts it contains, we need to have balanced attitudes toward work. Luke 10:38–42 tells the story of Jesus’ visit to the home of two sisters, Mary and Martha.

Martha was overly occupied and too busy (see Luke 10:40). But Mary sat down at Jesus’ feet and listened to what He had to say. Martha was distracted with much serving; Mary was thankful Jesus was there and was determined not to miss the beauty of the present moment. And Jesus said that Mary made a better choice than Martha did.

Jesus did not tell Martha not to work; He told her not to be frustrated and have a bad attitude while she worked. Jesus wants us to work hard, but He also wants us to be wise enough to realize when we should stop all activity and not miss the miracle of the moment.

Prayer of Thanks Thank You, Father, for the way You teach me to live my life in balance. Help me to do the work You have given me to do without letting it become a distraction to my relationship with You. Thank You that I can enjoy moments at Your feet each day.

 

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Spiritual Praying

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Then what am I to do? I will pray with my spirit [by the Holy Spirit that is within me], but I will also pray [intelligently] with my mind and understanding; I will sing with my spirit [by the Holy Spirit that is within me], but I will sing [intelligently] with my mind and understanding also. 1 Corinthians 14:15

For many people, the concept of “the mind aiding the spirit” is dificult to grasp. I understand what Paul meant because it’s something I’ve learned to use in my own spiritual growth.

For example, one morning I set aside my usual time for prayer. I began to pray, but my prayers felt flat nothing energized them and there was no help from my spirit. As I struggled, I reminded myself that I had made myself available to God, and I wanted the Spirit to use me to change lives.

I continued to pray but nothing changed. This had happened before, so I wasn’t discouraged. I kept on praying and telling God the things about which I was concerned. After several minutes, a powerful energy took hold of me. I knew I had touched the area where the Holy Spirit wanted me to pray. This became more than my concern this was God’s concern.

I began by praying out of my mind, about things that I knew of and thought needed prayer. I was praying in English because that is my normal language, and I understood what I was saying. But when the energizing power of the Spirit came, without any conscious thought, I began to pray with my prayer language, or what many of us refer to as an unknown tongue.

Paul was our example and teacher in this area. He said he knew how to pray with the Spirit, and he knew how to pray with the understanding. This may not make sense to everyone and it certainly can confuse people at first. However, I encourage you not to reject a gift of God that is available to you merely because you have not experienced it and don’t understand it. Be open to God, and ask Him to teach you about praying in other tongues.

Think of it this way: God calls us to prayer. That’s our joy as well as our responsibility. Sometimes when we talk to God, we hardly know what to say. We pray, but our words feel inadequate. It’s as if there is a depth to our burdens that transcends words. Something is going on that’s so strong within us-so overwhelming-we have no words to speak To use English feels utterly useless. No matter what we say to God out of our own minds (understanding), we feel we have not broken through and obtained a victory. Then comes what I call a prayer release. I speak in words I don’t understand-words that are beyond the grasp of my human mind-and yet my spirit “understands,” or bears witness that my prayers are correct and are getting the job done.

The best biblical reference I can give for this experience is Acts 2, which tells the story of Pentecost. The disciples prayed in an upper room while Jews came from all over the world to the city of Jerusalem. The 120 people in that room were so filled with the Holy Spirit that they burst out speaking in unknown languages-unknown to them. But the visitors heard them, And when this sound was heard, the multitude came together and they were astonished and be¬wildered, because each one heard them [the apostles] speaking in his own [particular] dialect (Acts 2:6).

The apostle Paul thanked God that he spoke in tongues, and he also said that nobody should forbid anyone to do so. There has been a great deal of division in the church over the issue of speaking in tongues, but I encourage you to go straight to your Bible and see what the Word of God says about it. Don’t have a closed mind to any of the precious gifts of the Holy Spirit. We need all the supernatural help we can get to help us live our lives victoriously.

Some people teach that the gift of speaking in tongues went away with the early church, but there are millions of people worldwide who speak in tongues today. Those who speak in other tongues are certainly no better, nor are they more spiritual than those who do not speak in tongues, but once again, I encourage you to seek God for yourself in this area, so your prayers can be as powerful as possible. When we pray in the Spirit, our minds and our spirits work together. Our minds yield to our spirits, and we are praying the perfect prayer that God desires.

Holy Spirit, I desire all the supernatural gifts You have made available. I need all the help I can get to enable me to live victoriously. I want to pray powerful prayers that are led by the Holy Spirit. I know You hear and answer the prayers I pray in my known language, but I am open to receiving the gift of an unknown language that will enable me to speak secrets and mysteries unto You. I trust You, Jesus, to lead me in the right direction. Amen.