Little children, keep yourselves from idols (false gods)—[from anything and everything that would occupy the place in your heart due to God, from any sort of substitute for Him that would take first place in your life].

— 1 John 5:21 (AMPC)

We can make an idol out of just about anything or anyone. It could be a spouse, a child, a good friend, something you own, your home, or your career. When anything becomes more important to us than God, who always deserves first place in our lives, we must aggressively deal with it; we must put it back where it belongs.

For example, if it happens to be your career, you would be better off to change careers if keeping the one you have means it takes you away from God.

Maybe it’s a person, or even that person’s good opinion of you that you strive for and think about far too much. Absolutely no one or nothing should ever push God out of first place in your life.

Keep in mind that one day everything on this earth will pass away, so don’t spend your life worshiping something that is always in the process of turning to dust! God is the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, and He must also be everything in between.

Prayer of the Day: Father God, please remind me that You are always first—my top priority. Help me to make the necessary changes so that no matter what, You always come first, amen!

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Give us aid against the enemy, for human help is worthless. With God we will gain the victory, and he will trample down our enemies.

— Psalm 108:12-13 (NIV)

Too often, when we are in trouble or have questions we need answered, we run to our friends for help. But we should always go to God first. He may use a person to help us or to speak a timely word to us, but if it doesn’t originate with God, it will be useless.

God gives us victory over our enemies if we listen to and obey Him. He will fight for us, and while we wait, we can expect to see Him do great things and look forward to them. Ask God for help, pray for and forgive your enemies as God instructs, and avoid depending on human flesh, for God says clearly in today’s scripture that “human help is worthless.”

Dave and I have four adult children, and we love for them to come to us for advice. It shows that they respect and value our opinion. If they always went to other people for counsel, we would feel that they don’t value our ability to help them. I imagine God is the same way. He is our Father, and He wants us to run to Him for all the help we need.

If you have asked God to help you but you don’t see anything changing yet, don’t be discouraged. As long as you keep believing, God is working.

Prayer of the Day: Father, I am thankful that You are always working on my behalf and that You will give me victory over my enemies.

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The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is safe.

— Proverbs 29:25 (ESV)

It is wrong for anyone to try to control us, but it is equally wrong for us to allow it. We must stand up for ourselves and be determined to please God rather than other people. My mother allowed my father to control her out of fear, and everyone in the family paid the price for her refusal to stand up for herself and us. Fear is a real thing, but it has no power over us except what we give it. Author and psychologist Dr. Henry Cloud says that we get what we tolerate.

The best thing is never to start a relationship by letting yourself be controlled and manipulated. But if you are already in that situation, it is not too late to stand up for yourself. It will be more difficult to do than it would have been had you established boundaries from the beginning of the relationship, but it can still be done. Let the person who is controlling you know that you realize you have been allowing them to control you and that you will no longer let it continue. They may react in an angry and even a violent manner, but in the end, they will respect you for it.

It is God’s will for us to follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and in order to do that, we will find that we must often say no to the demands of people. People who will only stay in relationship with you if they are allowed to control you don’t really love you. They are simply using you to help them get what they want. You deserve better than that and are far too valuable to let anyone abuse or misuse you.

If you have a history of not speaking up or just “going along to get along,” taking the first step toward freedom will be the most difficult. Satan is delighted to rob you of your God-ordained destiny, and he can easily do it through the fear of other people. The apostle Paul said that had he been trying to be popular with people, he would not have become an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ (see Galatians 1:10). Think seriously about that for a moment, and then take a look at your own life and make sure you are not missing God’s will by being overly concerned about keeping people happy.

We should want to please and make people happy, but not if the price of doing so is disobeying God. The Word of God tells us to follow peace and I want to strongly recommend that you begin doing that. Anyone who truly cares about you will want you to follow God even if it means you can’t give them what they want. God is always with you to help you do what you need to do.

Prayer of the Day: Father, please help me live to please You, rather than the people in my life, amen.

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[Not in your own strength] for it is God Who is all the while effectually at work in you [energizing and creating in you the power and desire], both to will and to work for His good pleasure and satisfaction and delight.

— Philippians 2:13 (AMPC)

Most of us desire the good life God has planned for us, but sometimes we fail to recognize the areas our lives that need to be changed. Many times, you set out to make those changes, yet despite your best efforts, you seem powerless to make those changes happen.

Trying to bring about change through your own strength and plans will always result in frustration. God is waiting for you to stop trying to change and start trusting Him to change you.

If you need to make changes in your thoughts, attitudes, and behavior, understand that you can’t do it by yourself. Spend time with God and ask for His help—after all, if He can’t do it, it can’t be done. But He can…and He will!

Prayer of the Day: Lord, thank You for helping me to change. I know I can’t do it without You. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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And he sent a man before them—Joseph, sold as a slave. They bruised his feet with shackles, his neck was put in irons, till what he foretold came to pass, till the word of the Lord proved him true.

— Psalm 105:17–19 (NIV)

Today’s scripture reminds us of Joseph and the unjust treatment he received from his brothers. They sold him into slavery and told his father that a wild animal had killed him. Meanwhile, a wealthy man named Potiphar purchased Joseph and took him into his home as a slave. God gave Joseph favor everywhere he went, and soon he found favor with his new master.

Joseph kept getting promoted, but then he ended up being falsely accused of having an affair with his boss’s wife and ended up in prison.

Joseph tried to help others the entire time he was in prison. He did not complain, but he was patient and had a positive attitude in his suffering, and God eventually delivered him and promoted him to the point where no one else in Egypt had more authority than Joseph, except Pharaoh himself.

God also vindicated Joseph with his brothers, and he displayed a godly attitude by refusing to mistreat them, even though they deserved it. He said that what they had meant for his harm, God had worked out for his good—that they were in God’s hands, not his, and that he had no right to do anything but bless them (see Genesis 37–45). We can expect similar results when we stay patient through suffering and keep a positive, forgiving attitude.

Prayer of the Day: Lord, when I go through times of suffering or difficulty, help me stay patient and positive and be willing to forgive those who have treated me wrongly.

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Joyce Meyer – The Comforter

I, even I, am He Who comforts you….

— Isaiah 51:12 (AMPC)

Galatians 6:10 (AMPC) says, …Be mindful to be a blessing, especially to those of the household of faith…. Second Corinthians 10:5 speaks of casting down imaginations and every high and lofty thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God. In other words, keep (set) your mind on God’s promises and on what is relevant to His plan for your life.

We must keep moving forward and not get stuck in our situation by negative thinking. Don’t let your mind be taken captive by the enemy. Instead, lead every thought and purpose away captive into the obedience of Christ. Decide to be a blessing to everyone you meet today. Forgive anyone who has hurt you and leave unresolved circumstances in God’s hands. Don’t use today to relive yesterday. Say, “I am moving forward today, in Jesus’ name.”

Prayer of the Day: Father God, thank You for helping me take any negative thoughts captive. Help me be a blessing wherever I go, and to every person I meet. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

— John 8:31–32 (NKJV)

The world tells us there are many sources of truth. It also tells us truth is relative, or dependent on circumstances. The world tries to get us to follow its truth, and the devil tries to convince us that what he says is truth. He wants us to receive as truth the thoughts he plants in our minds, but we know that he does nothing but lie (see John 8:44). There is only one source of eternal truth—the truth that will change our lives and set us free—and that is God’s Word.

In today’s scripture, Jesus did not tell the Jews that they would know the truth and that it would make them free if they casually read His Word or knew a few verses of Scripture. He said, “If you abide in My word.” According to the Amplified Bible, abiding means “continually obeying” His teachings and “living in accordance with them.”

I believe this is one of the great keys to spiritual strength and to victory in any form of spiritual warfare. Only by abiding in (obeying) God’s Word will we know the truth to the point that it will make us free. God’s Word is truth (see John 17:17), and it is powerful in our lives if we receive it in our hearts and apply it to our lives each day through obedience.

Prayer of the Day: Father, thank You for the unshakeable truth of Your Word. Help me to abide in it and know it as truth so it will make me free, amen.

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You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy, at Your right hand there are pleasures forevermore.

— Psalm 16:11 (AMPC)

We seek many things in life that we think will give us joy and enjoyment, but we often fail to seek the one thing that brings fullness of joy. If we seek God first as our vital need, His presence will enable us to enjoy other things, but without Him, they will always be lacking in some way.

Include the Lord in all that you do and speak with Him throughout the day. The fact is: God is everything and we are nothing without Him. He is your joy!

Prayer of the Day: Father, help me to seek You first as my vital need in life, and I will experience fullness of joy, amen.

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Let all creation rejoice before the Lord, for he comes, he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in his faithfulness.

— Psalm 96:13 (NIV)

Words, thoughts, and actions are seeds we sow, and they eventually bring a harvest in our lives. God’s Word teaches us that we will reap what we have sown (see Galatians 6:7). The day will come when God will judge the earth, and His judgment will be righteous. On that day, we will all have to give an account of what we have done (see Romans 14:12).

Those who believe in Jesus Christ and have received Him as Savior and Lord will not be judged in terms of whether or not they will go to heaven, but they will be judged and rewarded accordingly for their works. However, those who have rejected Jesus during their lifetime will be facing a very different kind of judgment. They have spent their lives doing as they please, and on Judgment Day, they will reap the results of what they have sown.

Those who believe in Christ look forward to that day. They rejoice to see it come, but unbelievers will not rejoice. On that day, they will regret their decision to reject Jesus during their lifetime. Let us pray daily for those who have rejected Jesus, that they might be saved and spend eternity with Him.

Prayer of the Day: Father, I pray for all those who have rejected Jesus as their Savior and have walked in their own will instead of following You. I pray they will believe and receive Jesus before it is too late. Send the perfect laborer into their path to speak a timely word to them.

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For the time being no discipline brings joy, but seems grievous and painful; but afterwards it yields a peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it….

— Hebrews 12:11 (AMPC)

Discipline is our friend, not our enemy. It helps us be the people we say we would like to be but never will be without the assistance of discipline and self-control. It is a fruit of the Holy Spirit that is in us as believers in Jesus Christ, but like all other fruit of the Spirit, it must be developed and will grow through use.

Discipline is the ability train, correct or perfect a pattern of behavior. For example, spending time with my friends is important, but it is not as important as spending time with God. God gives us free choice as His children. He tells us in His Word what will work the best and produce good results, but we have the responsibility of choosing what we will do. Free choice is wonderful, and we all enjoy it, but we also need to realize that we will be left with the result of those choices, good or bad.

People who imagine that they can make undisciplined choices, following the desires of the flesh instead of the Spirit, and still have a great life, are deceived. I urge you to embrace discipline as your friend. Don’t groan when you think of discipline. It may not seem joyous now, but after it has been applied, you will enjoy the fruit of it.

Prayer of the Day: Father, please give me Your grace to live a life of discipline and self-control—one that is guided by Your Holy Spirit instead of my own fleshly desires, amen.

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Then [the guiding angel] showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the Angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at Joshua’s right hand to be his adversary and to accuse him.

— Zechariah 3:1 (AMPC)

If you’re a woman, you might expect the world to say, “No! You can’t do that, you’re a woman.” That is what I heard when God called me into the ministry. Most of my family and friends turned against me. At that time, I didn’t really understand the scriptures that people tried to use against me, but I’m not the first woman to be told that I should ignore God’s leading on my life or was offered suggestions that conflicted with my primary purpose or desire of serving God. As I mentioned earlier, the war between women and Satan got its start in the Garden of Eden and has not stopped. Satan hates women because it was a woman who gave birth to Jesus, and it is Jesus who has defeated Satan.

However, don’t think that just because the devil is against you that success is out of your reach. Even though most of the world told me I could not do it, I have been doing it for over 40 years and intend to continue until Jesus calls me out of this world. God has done it despite what everyone thought. People and the devil cannot stop God!

Prayer of the Day: Lord, I’m so glad that You have defeated Satan on the cross. I feel the accusations of the adversary, but I will triumph, amen.

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 …Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.

— Matthew 28:20 (NIV)

As God heals our souls, one thing we notice is that we become stronger and more confident. With every step of healing He leads us through, we see that He is faithful and trustworthy, and this increases our confidence in Him. Life is much easier and more enjoyable when we are confident than it is when we feel hesitant or unsure. When we are confident, we believe and feel certain we can do something, and that belief empowers us to live with courage, joy, and hopeful expectation. A confident person can look in the mirror each day and say, “You and God together can do anything you need to do today.”

The most important thing about confidence is to know where it comes from. Some people can develop an attitude of confidence in themselves, thinking, I can do this, and I’ve got what it takes! But as believers in Jesus, our confidence comes from Him. Anyone can feel confident in certain areas, but we can be confident in all areas of life as we find our confidence in God. He gives us not only confidence in what we can do, but also in who we are. Our ability to be confident comes from the fact that He loves us, He fights our battles for us, He is always leading us to victory, and we belong to Him.

If we put our confidence in ourselves, we will eventually be disappointed. Writing to fellow believers, the apostle Paul declared that we glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh (see Philippians 3:3). When we trust in God with confidence, we no longer struggle with stress, worry, or fear of what will happen if we don’t do everything right.

The Old Testament prophet Jeremiah understood, as Paul did, that we cannot place our confidence in ourselves. He wrote, Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh…But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him (Jeremiah 17:5, 7 NIV).

An important point I like to make is that in Christ we can be confident even when we do not feel confident. We cannot trust our feelings because they can change at a moment’s notice and without warning. Instead, we can put our confidence in Christ.

God’s Word is full of powerful truths we can trust and depend on, truths that will build a firm foundation of confidence in God for our lives. People may cause you to change the way you feel about yourself, especially if they do or say something that undermines your confidence or makes you wonder if you are weak. But no one can change the truth of what God says about you or who He is in your life. So put your confidence in Him!

Prayer of the Day: Father, Your Word is full of truth, and I know I can always trust in You. Help me as I build my confidence and put all of my trust in You, amen.

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 . . . And you shall hold your peace and remain at rest.

— Exodus 14:14 (AMPC)

We were created to live in the love and enjoyment of harmonious relationships, free from dissension, confusion, and emotional trauma. God wants our lives to be free from division; He wants us to live in peace with each other, yet such a life often eludes many people. Instead, conflict wreaks havoc in their lives, leaving them wounded and alienated from one another.

But we can be thankful that Jesus gives us His peace. We don’t have to live with broken, conflict-filled relationships. We can “hold our peace” in every situation. Psalm 34:14 says we can crave peace and pursue it, and Matthew 5:9 says we can be makers and maintainers of peace. As we remain peaceful, God works in our behalf.

Don’t let relationship problems plague your life any longer. Determine to end the strife and do all that you can to pursue peace. If you decide to be a peacemaker, you’ll be surprised what a difference it will make.

Prayer of the Day: Father, help me to be a peacemaker in my relationships. I thank You that I no longer waste my time on petty arguments and foolish strife. As far as it depends on me, and with Your help, I am going to have peaceful, harmonious relationships, amen.

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But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

— Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV)

Kindness is a fruit of the Spirit, one that we should always display in our relationships with other people. The world is often a harsh and unkind place, filled with unkind and unloving people, and if we are not careful, it can make us the same way. Becoming like the world around us is very easy to do if we do not purpose to choose God’s ways.

The apostle Paul encourages us to put on kindness (see Colossians 3:12 NKJV), and to remember that we are representatives of Jesus (see 2 Corinthians 5:20). One way we can be a witness for Christ is by choosing to be kind to one another. Not only is being kind God’s will for us, but it may well be contagious. Others can “catch” kindness from us and then give it to someone else.

Let kindness rule in your home and in all your dealings with others. One of the best ways to release joy in your own life is to give it to others through being kind to them.

Prayer of the Day: Father, You are always kind to me, even though I don’t always deserve it, and I want to treat other people the way You treat me. Grant me the grace and strength to display all the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Thank You. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity…It is like the dew of [lofty] Mount Hermon and the dew that comes on the hills of Zion; for there the Lord has commanded the blessing, even life forevermore [upon the high and the lowly].

— Psalm 133:1, 3 (AMPC)

When you have been praying about something and do not seem to be hearing God giving you answers or making any progress, you may need to get someone to pray in agreement with you. That kind of unity is a powerful spiritual dynamic, and according to today’s verses, it is good, and it commands God’s blessing. When two or more people come into agreement, Jesus Himself promises to be with them, and His presence exerts more power than we can even imagine in our lives and in our circumstances. He says in Matthew 18:19–20 (AMPC): Again I tell you, if two of you on earth agree (harmonize together, make a symphony together) about whatever [anything and everything] they may ask, it will come to pass and be done for them by My Father in heaven. For wherever two or three are gathered (drawn together as My followers) in (into) My name, there I AM in the midst of them.

God is also with us as individuals, but our power increases as we come together in unity and agreement. The Bible says that one can put one thousand to flight and two can run off ten thousand (see Deuteronomy 32:30). I like that kind of math! Because God’s blessing rests on unity and His presence is with those who agree in His name, the enemy works diligently to divide people, to bring strife into relationships, to provoke anger and jealousy and to keep people at odds with each other. We need to understand the power of unity and agreement and, though we do need private times of intimate communion with God, we also need to exercise the power of agreement by talking to God and listening for His voice with others.

Prayer of the Day: Lord, thank You for Your Word and for the knowledge it brings. Help me find other believers to pray with in agreement as we seek Your presence and unfathomable power, amen.

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 You will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose mind [both its inclination and its character] is stayed on You, because he commits himself to You, leans on You, and hopes confidently in You.

— Isaiah 26:3 (AMPC)

Galatians 6:10 (AMPC) says, …Be mindful to be a blessing, especially to those of the household of faith…. Second Corinthians 10:5 speaks of casting down imaginations and every high and lofty thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God. In other words, keep (set) your mind on God’s promises and on what is relevant to His plan for your life.

We must keep moving forward and not be stuck in our situation by negative thinking. Don’t let your mind be taken captive by the enemy. Instead, lead every thought and purpose away captive into the obedience of Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5 AMPC). Decide to be a blessing to everyone you meet today. Forgive anyone who has hurt you and leave unresolved circumstances in God’s hands. Don’t use today to relive yesterday. Say, “I am moving forward today, in Jesus’ name.”

Prayer of the Day: Lord Jesus, thank You for helping me take any negative thoughts captive. Help me be a blessing wherever I go, and to every person I meet. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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I call heaven and earth to witness this day against you that I have set before you life and death, the blessings and the curses; therefore choose life, that you and your descendants may live.

— Deuteronomy 30:19 (AMPC)

When God begins to deal with us about wrong behavior, it’s easy enough to say, “I can’t help it,” but it takes real courage and faith to say, “I’m ready to take responsibility and get my life straightened out.”

Avoidance, which is not facing issues, is a major problem. Wrong things don’t go away just because we refuse to acknowledge them. We often stuff things away. We hide from them, and when we do, they have power over us. Issues buried alive never die.

For many years, I refused to deal with the sexual abuse in my childhood. My father had abused me, so I left home the week I turned 18 years old. I thought I was getting away from the problem by leaving, but I didn’t realize I had the problem in my soul. It was in my thoughts, attitudes and words. It affected my actions and all my relationships. I had buried my past and stuffed my stuff. We don’t have to live in the past; in fact, we are encouraged by God’s Word to forget it and let it go. However, that doesn’t mean that we are free to ignore the results of it and pretend that we are not hurting when we are.

I was merely feeling sorry for myself and saying, “I can’t help it. It’s not my fault I was abused.” And it wasn’t my fault. But it was my responsibility to let God help me overcome all the bondages I was experiencing as a result of that abuse.

God began setting me free by dealing with me about all the wrong thoughts I had accepted and allowed. My mind had to change before my life could change. At first, I didn’t even want to take responsibility for my thoughts. I thought, I can’t help what I think! I eventually learned that I could choose my own thoughts, and I could think things on purpose. I learned that we don’t have to accept every thought that falls into our minds. We can cast down wrong ones and replace them with right ones.

I learned that instead of feeling helpless over the thoughts that fill my mind, I can do something positive.

Our mind is the battlefield, and Satan’s primary way of initiating his evil plan for us is through our thoughts. If we feel we have no power over our thoughts, Satan will entrap and defeat us. Instead, we can determine to think in godly ways. We constantly make choices. Where do those choices come from? They originate in our thought life. Our thoughts become our words and our actions.

God has given us the power to decide to choose right thinking over wrong. But once we make that choice, we must continue to choose right thoughts. It’s not a once-and-for-all decision, but it does get easier. The more we fill our lives with reading the Bible, prayer, praise, and fellowship with other believers, the easier it is for us to continue choosing right thoughts.

Prayer of the Day: Father God, remind me that I can and do make choices every day. Please help me to monitor my thoughts, choosing only those that will help me overcome the devil and win the battle for my mind. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. And again, “The Lord will judge His people.”

— Hebrews 10:30 (NKJV)

As we move forward in life, it is important not to hold on to any kind of bitterness or unforgiveness in our hearts. It is unlikely that any one of us has made it through life so far without being hurt by someone, but we only continue letting what they have done hurt us if we don’t forgive them.

Ask yourself if you are angry with anyone for anything, and if you are, ask God to help you forgive, forget, and let it go. God is our Vindicator, and if we will allow Him to, He will repay us for every injustice that has been done to us. In my life, I have learned that anger is something we should never carry around with us. God’s Word says that we should not let the sun set on our anger, and if we do, then we give the devil a foothold in our lives (see Ephesians 4:26–27).

Do yourself a favor right now as you move forward in life and refuse to remain angry or bitter. God has good things planned for us, and we don’t want to miss them by refusing to let go of things in the past. Keep on going with a peaceful heart and be determined to enjoy each day.

Prayer of the Day: Father, help me forgive everyone who has hurt me in the past, and if I have hurt anyone, please help them to forgive me, amen.

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See that none of you repays another with evil for evil, but always aim to show kindness and seek to do good to one another and to everybody.

— 1 Thessalonians 5:15 (AMPC)

It is impossible to be in this world and deal with people and never be treated unjustly. Evil is present in society, but God has given us a secret weapon against it. When it touches us, we can defeat it with kindness rather than lowering ourselves to return evil for evil. We always overcome evil with good (see Romans 12:21).

Always be quick to forgive those who offend you, remembering that your prayers cannot be answered if you hold bitterness in your heart against anyone. When Jesus was dying on the cross at Calvary, one of His last acts on earth was to pray that God would forgive those who crucified Him. Stephen did likewise while he was being stoned to death (see Acts 7:59–60). The apostle Paul also forgave his friends who deserted him during his first trial (see 2 Timothy 4:16).

When people hurt us, we can respond according to our biblical examples. Doing so puts us in a position of power with God and frees us from the agony of anger and hatred.

Prayer of the Day: Father, I want to always keep my heart clear of anger and resentment, but I need Your grace to do so. Enable me to be kind when others are rude or mean to me, and to trust You to be my Vindicator. Thank You. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

— Mark 11:24 (NIV)

If we look at life without considering the promises of God, all we have is what we see or feel. But with God’s promises, what seems impossible becomes possible. God’s only requirement is that we believe what He says more than we believe anything else. The world says, “I won’t believe until I see,” but God says, “Believe and then you will see.”

What do you believe about yourself, your past, and your future? Do you believe things will always be the way they have always been? I hope not, because if things in your life have not been good, that means you are stuck with that as your destiny. Perhaps you didn’t have a good beginning in life, but you can have a great finish! I know that is true because God says in His Word that He has a good plan for our future, one that should fill us with hope (see Jeremiah 29:11).

“When people have been emotionally wounded, it adversely affects how they think. Their thoughts are often negative, especially about themselves and their life in general. They may live with what the Bible calls “evil forebodings,” which is an expectation that something bad is going to happen. However, God’s Word renews our minds. It teaches us how to think and to expect good things to happen. It gives us a new attitude that allows us to live with joy and hope rather than with sadness, depression, and discouragement. It takes time and patience to see the changes you desire, so don’t expect things to change overnight.

God’s Word has inherent power in it, and once we learn to think in agreement with God, we will see positive changes in our lives. But remember, believing must come before seeing. God told David he would be king, but 20 years passed before he wore the crown. David went through a lot of difficult testing of his faith while he waited, but at the right time, he did become king. Like David, at the right time you will be all God wants you to be and have all He wants you to have. Just continue believing God’s promises and refuse to give up!

Ask God for things in prayer that are impossible and believe you will see them come to pass. While you wait for God to heal your wounded soul, stay busy helping and being kind to other people. The Bible tells us to “trust God and do good” (see Psalm 37:3). Each morning, ask God to show you someone you can help that day, and as you do, your joy will increase, and you will be sowing seeds for your own harvest.

Prayer of the Day: Father, help me to believe Your promises and trust Your Word, more than anything else. Renew my mind and help me to think positively. Help me to trust You and do good each day, amen.

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