Only fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart. For consider what great things he has done for you. — 1 Samuel 12:24

Adapted from the resource Starting Your Day Right – by Joyce Meyer

To have peace, keep your eyes on God. Get alone to fellowship with Him. If you have to get in a closet and sit in the middle of all your shoes and hang clothes over your head to hide in order to find solitude, do it! Then focus on all that God has done for you.

Jesus said to go to your most private room when you pray to the Father, and He will reward you openly for the time you spend with Him (See Matthew 6:6). Don’t miss out on God’s abundant blessings for your life.

Prayer Starter: Father, in the midst of everything I have to do today, I ask You to fill my heart and mind with Your supernatural peace. Help me to continually grow closer to You and receive the peace and rest You have for my life. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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But they all alike began to make excuses… — Luke 14:18

Adapted from the resource Battlefield of the Mind Devotional – by Joyce Meyer

Moses made excuses when God called him to service. He said he wasn’t eloquent enough and could not speak (see Exodus 4:10).

Felix made excuses when Paul was speaking to him about righteousness and self-control. He essentially said, “Right now is an inconvenient time. Can you come back later?” (see Acts 24:25).

When God invites people into relationship with Him, many people come up with excuses when the truth is they simply don’t want to make the sacrifices required to follow Him. Even among those who are believers in Jesus, we still hear ample excuses for not serving Him fully.

It is time to deal with excuses and start speaking truth. There is one truth none of us will be able to avoid: The day will come when every person will stand before God and give an account of his or her life (see Romans 14:12 On that day there will be no excuses!

Prayer Starter:Prayer Starter: Father, I want to love and serve You wholeheartedly without making excuses. Draw me closer to You and help me to step out into all that You have for my life. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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w you [collectively] are Christ’s body and [individually] you are members of it, each part severally and distinct [each with his own place and function]. — 1 Corinthians 12:27 (AMPC)

Adapted from the resource New Day, New You – by Joyce Meyer

We wonder, What am I to do with my life? What is my purpose here? Does God have a calling on my life?

God answers these questions through our natural gifts and abilities. He leads us to our purpose through the natural skills and unique talents He bestows upon us. God-given gifts are the skills a person easily performs without formal training. We derive great pleasure from doing what we are naturally good at doing.

If you aren’t sure of your purpose, just do what you are good at doing, and then watch God confirm you by blessing your endeavors. Don’t spend your life trying to do what you are not gifted to do. I tried to grow a garden and can tomatoes and sew my husband’s clothes. I wasn’t at all good at any of these things, and I even despised trying!

It was obvious that God wasn’t calling me to grow and preserve vegetables or to sew. But what if no one enjoyed gardening or canning or making clothes? God keeps our world in balance by giving each of us natural talent and pleasure in doing what needs to be done for the good of everyone around us.

We know we are operating in our gifts and calling when what we do ministers life to others. If what we do makes us miserable and fills us with a sense of dread, it’s possible we are not in God’s perfect will. God gives us peace and joy to let us know we are fulfilling His perfect plan.

I encourage you to look at what you enjoy, what you’re good at, and what God is giving you the grace to do—and then let God be God in your life. He wants to flow through you in many different ways, but it may not be the same way He flows through others. Trust His ability in and through you, and don’t be afraid to be unique.

Prayer Starter: Father, thank You for the special gifts and abilities You have given me. Help me to stay focused on what You have called me to do and use my gifts to bless the word around me. Help me to be myself—the unique person You created me to be. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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Adapted from the resource My Time with God Devotional – by Joyce Meyer

God’s timing in our lives is perfect, and we will enjoy life much more if we believe that. He knows the exact right time to do the things we have requested of Him.

Don’t waste your time being upset about something that only God can change. If He withholds your desire for the time being, thank Him that He knows best.

Time is a gift—don’t waste it being upset!

Prayer Starter: Father, I know that Your timing is perfect. Help me to patiently wait on You and learn to enjoy each and every moment of my life, knowing that You are in complete control. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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“By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” — John 13:35

Adapted from the resource Love Out Loud – by Joyce Meyer

Jesus says that there is one way people will know whether we belong to Him or not, and that is our love for one another. I like to say that love is the trademark, the distinguishing sign or characteristic, of a Christian. It’s what sets us apart from the rest of the world.

Before you buy something, do you read labels or look for certain trademarks (brand names) that have a reputation for being good? That is what people should be able to do with us because we are disciples of Jesus Christ.

They should be able to look at us and say, “This is good. This is a person of quality!” People should be able to identify us not only by our talk, but also by our walk.

The world is looking for something to believe in, something real, something tangible. They are looking for love, and God is love (see 1 John 4:8).

Those of us who are Christians need to show them Jesus, and we do that not by merely wearing Christian jewelry or putting bumper stickers with Christian messages on our cars, but by walking in His love and demonstrating that love to others.

Many people have gone to church looking for God and instead been met with the rules and regulations of religion, and not even so much as a friendly smile. They left without encountering God.

Countless people are hungry for God, and God needs us to be His ambassadors, representing Him in every way, starting with His trademark characteristic, which is love.

Prayer Starter: Lord, Your Word says we are Your representatives here on earth (see 2 Corinthians 5:20). I ask for Your help to display Your character—Your love—to everyone I meet. Let my life draw others to Your goodness every single day. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few. — Matthew 7:13-14

Adapted from the resource New Day New You Devotional – by Joyce Meyer

Here in this passage, Jesus speaks of two different ways: the broad way that leads to destruction and the narrow way that leads to life.

As I was meditating on this passage, the Lord spoke to my heart and said, “Joyce, on the broad way there is room for all kinds of fleshly things like bitterness and unforgiveness and resentment and vindictiveness. But on the narrow way there is only room for the Spirit.”

In the flesh it is easy to take the broad path, but the end result is destruction. Emotions move us to take the easy way, to do what feels good for the moment. Wisdom moves us to take the hard way that leads to life. The question is: Which will we choose?

No matter what has happened to you in your lifetime, even if you have been abandoned by your spouse or abused by your parents or hurt by your children or others, if you’ll stay on that narrow path and leave all your excess baggage behind, sooner or later you will find the peace, joy, and fulfillment you seek.

We must keep walking in the ways of the Lord: And let us not lose heart and grow weary and faint in acting nobly and doing right, for in due time and at the appointed season we shall reap, if we do not loosen and relax our courage and faint (Galatians 6:9 AMPC).

Jesus is the Way, and He has shown us the way in which we are to walk. The Lord has sent upon us His Holy Spirit to lead and guide us in the way we are to go, the narrow way that leads to life and not the broad way that leads to destruction.

Prayer Starter: Father, help me to choose the narrow path today—in my thoughts, with my words, and through my actions. When my feelings rise up and I’m tempted to take the broad path, please strengthen me by Your Spirit and help me to make wise decisions I will be happy with later. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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Keep on asking and it will be given you; keep on seeking and you will find; keep on knocking [reverently] and [the door] will be opened to you. — Matthew 7:7 (AMPC)

Adapted from the resource My Time with God Devotional – by Joyce Meyer

I have made a commitment to pray more than ever, and I hope you will join me.

Prayer is the greatest privilege that we have. Prayer makes all things possible! God’s Word teaches us that we have not because we ask not (see James 4:2). It is tragic indeed to miss out on the immense benefits that prayer provides simply because we fail to take the time to ask.

My desire is to “pray my way through the day.” It is another way of saying what the apostle Paul said, which is “Pray without ceasing” (see 1 Thessalonians 5:17 AMPC).

This does not mean that I intend to stay on my knees all day or sit somewhere with folded hands praying all day. I simply desire to understand that all failure is a prayer failure and to be wise enough to invite the Lord to help me with each thing I do.

The Bible says in Ephesians 6:18 that we should “pray at all times (on every occasion, in every season) in the Spirit, with all [manner of] prayer” (AMPC). Forming the habit of doing so will open the door to more victory and breakthrough than we can imagine.

I don’t want to miss any more opportunities to see God’s amazing power manifested in my life, and I am sure you don’t either, so please join me in discovering the power of simple prayer!

Prayer Starter: Dear Father, I commit to praying my way through the day, and as I begin, I ask for Your help. I am praying that You will help me pray! Teach me the vital importance of talking with You about everything. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you…for a pretense make long prayers… — Matthew 23:14 (NKJV)

Adapted from the resource Love Out Loud Devotional – by Joyce Meyer

Sometimes people think they have to spend a long time praying in order to demonstrate their love for God. But prayer does not have to be long to be powerful.

The length of our prayers really makes no difference to God. All that matters is that our prayers are Spirit-led, heartfelt, and accompanied by true faith.

There is certainly nothing wrong with praying for an extended period of time. I believe we should set aside times for prolonged prayer and that our willingness or lack of willingness to spend time with God determines our level of intimacy with Him.

If issues in our lives really require us to pray at great length, then we need to do that, but we do not have to pray prolonged prayers just for the sake of logging time.

I have learned that some of the most powerful, effective prayers I can pray are things like, “Thank You, Lord,” or “Give me strength to keep going, Lord.” And perhaps the most powerful of all: “Help!!!”

See? Just a few words will connect us with heaven, and God will know how much we love Him simply because we turn our thoughts toward Him.

If you have thought your prayers had to be long in order to be effective, I hope you have now been relieved of that burden. Just one word spoken to Him in faith from a sincere heart can reach His heart and move His hand.

Prayer Starter: Father, let my prayers today be like breathing—easy, comfortable, and almost without thinking. Help my prayers and conversations with You become more genuine and meaningful—less about “have to” and more about “want to.” In Jesus’ Name, Amen

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You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. — Jeremiah 29:13

Adapted from the resource Hearing from God Each Morning Devotional – by Joyce Meyer

We may have to deal sternly with our flesh to resist the spirit of passivity that tries to keep us from growing in the knowledge of God. A commitment to spend time with God is as serious a commitment as any we will ever make.

If I needed dialysis because of kidney disease and had to be at the hospital twice a week for treatment at 8 a.m., I certainly would not accept an invitation to do anything else during those times, no matter how appealing it seemed or how much I wanted to do it. I would know my life depended on keeping my dialysis appointment.

We should be that serious about our time with God. The quality of our lives is greatly affected by the time we spend with Him, so that time should have priority in our schedules.

Sometimes we become slack in keeping our appointments with God because we know He is always available. We know He will always be there for us, so we may skip or reschedule our time with Him so we can do something that seems more urgent.

If we spent more “priority time” with God, we might not have so many “urgent” situations that tend to rob us of our time.

When we spend time with God, even if we don’t feel His presence or think we are learning anything, we are still sowing good seeds that will produce good harvests in our lives. With persistence, you will reach the point where you understand more of God’s Word, where you are enjoying fellowship with Him, and where you are talking to God and hearing His voice.

Prayer Starter: Lord, today I renew my commitment to spending time with You. You’re the Source of everything good in my life, and I know that apart from You I can do nothing of real value (see John 15:5). Help me to always see how much I require Your strength and presence in my life. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

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The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people. — Titus 3:8

Adapted from the resource The Confident Women Devotional – by Joyce Meyer

The world is not hungry for mediocrity. This world needs 10s. I believe everyone can be a 10 at something, but we often work so hard on trying to overcome our weaknesses that we never develop our strengths.

Whatever we focus on grows larger in our eyes—too large, in fact. We can turn something into a huge problem when, in reality, it would be a minor nuisance if only we viewed it in perspective with our strengths.

For example, let’s say you are not a “numbers” kind of person. You could obsess about your inability to “do the math” and maybe even take a class at the community college.

But that obsession could eat up time that could be devoted to stuff you’re great at—like teaching Sunday school, creative writing, or raising funds for charity. You rob time and effort from the 10s in your life just to bring a lowly three up to a mediocre five.

Prayer Starter: Lord, I dedicate myself to developing and using my strengths for Your honor and glory. I want to excel at what I am gifted to do. Help me to know my strengths and to handle my weaknesses in a way that does not distract me from being effective for You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

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By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies. — Hebrews 11:31

Adapted from the resource Ending Your Day Right Devotional – by Joyce Meyer

Rahab hid the spies whom Joshua had sent in to spy out the land. Because of her they were kept safe from the king who would have killed them.

Before their departure she asked them to protect her just as she had protected them.

These men told her, “Stay under the scarlet cord, and you will be safe. Not only you, but all those of your family whom you bring in with you. But if anyone gets out from under the protection of the scarlet cord, he will be destroyed” (see Joshua 2 AMPC).

Rahab obeyed their instructions and was saved from destruction (see Joshua 6:25).

The scarlet cord represents the blood of Jesus—which runs throughout the Bible. Use the blood of Jesus as a marker over you and your family. When God sees it, He will pass over you.

Prayer Starter: Father, thank You for the blood of Jesus that washes me clean from sin and protects me from harm today and every day. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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“There is no fear in love, but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love” (1 John 4:18, KJV).

“If I could hear Christ praying for me in the next room,” declared Robert Murray McCheyne, “I would not fear a million enemies. Yet distance makes no difference. He is praying for me: ‘He ever liveth to make intercession.'”

Is there some fear in your life over which you do not have victory? Whether it is great or small, you can gain victory over that fear through claiming, by faith, God’s supernatural love for yourself and for others, for “perfect love casts out fear.”

That promise makes it imperative that you and I claim God’s agape, the supernatural love described in 1 Corinthians 13, love for God, for our neighbors, for ourselves and for our enemies – for all men. As we do this, we can begin to practice that perfect love, showing it to our families and to friends and neighbors.

No fear is too small for Christ to handle, and certainly none is too large. Remember, “God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7, KJV). If fear does not come from God, then we must reject that spirit of fear as coming from the enemy of men’s souls.

Fear of the future is a large fear for many people, but sometimes the seemingly small fears – of crowds, of heights, whatever – can cause more distress than greater fears. It is in these instances that God demonstrates His faithfulness to fill our hearts with His love and to cast out fear.

Faith is the most effective foe of fear, and “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.”

Bible Reading:2 Timothy 1:6-12

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: Today I will recognize any kind of fear in my life for what it is: an attempt of the enemy to sabotage my effectiveness as a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ. By faith I will claim God’s supernatural love for myself and others, and thereby gain victory over fear. As I pray for myself, I shall pray for others also who experience the same devastating results of fear.

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“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?…And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? — Matthew 6:25, 27

Adapted from the resource Battlefield of the Mind Devotional – by Joyce Meyer

Satan is constantly waging war on the battlefield of the mind.

Our soul is the tangible area between our spirit—the place where God Himself lives—and our physical body. It is made up of our mind, will, and emotions—it tells us what we think, what we want, and how we feel.

When our mind is constantly stirred up with concern, worry, and anxiety, our God-given inner voice of insight and understanding becomes drowned out. In this unstable state, we no longer know what God’s will is regarding what we should and shouldn’t do.

When we allow the enemy to overtake our mind with worry and anxiety instead of following God’s Spirit, we are living the life of the flesh, and it keeps us out of God’s will.

Romans 8:8 says that . . . those who are living the life of the flesh [catering to the appetites and impulses of their carnal nature] cannot please or satisfy God, or be acceptable to Him (AMPC).

This does not mean that God doesn’t love us. It simply means that He is not satisfied with, nor will He accept, fleshly behavior.

God cares about us and about our needs. He wants greater things for us than we want for ourselves. We must fight hard to resist the temptation to accept the devil’s endless lies.

When I finally got fed up with not having any peace in my life, I made a decision to do whatever I needed to do to get it. I asked God what I should do. His response was clear:

“Joyce, you need to begin living on a deeper level.” Eventually, the Lord made it apparent to me that the deeper level on which I needed to live was the level of the Spirit.

In order for us to truly enjoy the abundant life Jesus died to give us, we need to stop worrying about what we think we want and need, and start following the promptings of the Holy Spirit.

That’s the message against worry. It doesn’t matter if your need is food, a job, the right clothing, the best schools for your children, your future, or the future of your family—God knows and God cares. The trick of Satan is to whisper, “God doesn’t care about you. If God truly cared, you wouldn’t be in this mess.”

When we focus on ourselves—what we don’t have—we have little energy left to focus on others and reaching out to help them. We don’t give money freely when we’re afraid or worried that we’ll lose our job or not have enough to pay our own bills. But when we trust God to provide for every need, we are free to share what we have.

Let me encourage you to stop worrying about your own needs and instead focus on the Word of God. You might even need to say to yourself out loud, “God does love me, and nothing can separate me from His love. He has heard my confession of sin, and He has forgiven and cleansed me. God has a positive plan for my future because His Word says so” (see Romans 8:38-39; 1 John 1:9; Jeremiah 29:11).

Every time worry and anxiety come up to try and steal your righteousness, peace, and joy, find out what the Word of God says, and then open your mouth and speak the Word.

God’s ultimate goal is to get us to the point where no matter what is going on, we remain calm. Who is going to keep us calm? The answer to that question is the power of the Holy Spirit working on the inside of us. God wants us to develop the habit of running to Him for the grace to resist the lies of the devil. Eventually the truth will win out and change our life!

Prayer Starter: My heavenly Father, thank You for caring for me and for assuring me that You will provide for every need I have. Too often, I’ve allowed worry to creep in and steal my joy or my peace. Because of worries over little things, sometimes I’ve been unable to focus on the greater things in this life You do for me. In the name of Jesus Christ, free me from the things that bind me so I can be totally free to worship and serve You. Amen.

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“Call to Me and I will answer you, and tell you [and even show you] great and mighty things, [things which have been confined and hidden], which you do not know and understand and cannot distinguish.”— Jeremiah 33:3 (AMP)

Adapted from the resource Wake Up to the Word Devotional – by Joyce Meyer

A mystery is a profound secret, something wholly unknown or something kept cautiously concealed.

We might say that life is a mystery unfolding. As teenagers and young adults, we try to formulate a plan for the future, but in reality, it is a mystery what our lives will hold.

Not knowing everything is what urges us to seek God!

God is actually very fond of mystery. We can start with the mystery of our birth. The Bible says we are formed in secret and in the region of mystery (our mother’s womb) (see Psalm 139:15).

Job said the dealings of God with the ungodly are a mystery (see Job 21:16). And in Mark 4:11, the kingdom of God is said to be a mystery.

You may have some sort of a plan for the future, and that is good, but only God knows for sure what will happen. Thankfully, you can live in peace, trusting God with whatever happens.

Be assured that God will guide you, He will be with you, and, therefore, you have nothing to fear.

Prayer Starter: Lord, thank You for the incredible plan You have for my life…and for all of the mysteries and surprises You have in store! I call out to You today, as Jeremiah 33:3 says, and I ask You to show me great and mighty things. Encourage me about my future…and help me to trust You with every single detail all along the way. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.” — Mark 10:27

Adapted from the resource Trusting God Day by Day Devotional – by Joyce Meyer

One of the best stories about how faith and confidence in God releases the power of potential took place centuries ago, when many parts of the ancient world were still unsettled.

God promised the people of Israel they would possess a rich and fertile country, known as Canaan. He didn’t promise them they could step across its borders without opposition, but He did promise them they would inhabit it—and when God makes a promise, He means it.

Taking God at His Word, the Israelites appointed 12 men to go into Canaan to “spy out the land” and bring back a report.

Upon their return, 10 spies admitted that the land owed with milk and honey and acknowledged that the fruit in Canaan was large and beautiful, but then remarked that the land was full of giants who would be impossible to overcome.

They allowed the presence of the giants to detract from the promises of God.

In contrast, Joshua and Caleb brought back good reports, full of faith and confidence in God, and Caleb spoke up with confidence, saying, Let us go up at once and possess it; we are well able to conquer it (Numbers 13:30 AMPC).

The 10 spies thought the giants in the land were too big to kill, but Joshua and Caleb thought they were too big to miss. Joshua and Caleb were the only two men who were positive in the face of opposition from the giants. They didn’t ignore the challenges, but they did not overemphasize them—and they were the only two who entered the Promised Land.

Being positive does not mean we deny the existence of difficulty; it means we believe God is greater than our difficulties.

Believing in God can cause us to win any battle we face. When we are closed to “positive possibilities,” we only see what is right in front of us, not what we could see if we would simply be positive and creative.

Prayer Starter: Father, I want to be like Joshua and Caleb! Help me to always see the “positive possibilities” in my life. When You give me direction and guidance, help to me go forward with confidence, knowing all things are possible with You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

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That I may make the voice of thanksgiving heard and may tell of all Your wondrous works. — Psalm 26:7 (AMPC)

Adapted from the resource The Power of Being Thankful Devotional – by Joyce Meyer

Giving thanks is an important part of prayer because, like praise and worship, it is something God responds to. It’s something God loves, something that warms His heart. Anytime we please God like that, our intimacy with Him increases—and that makes for a better prayer life.

Also, when we are thankful, we are in a position to receive more from the Lord. If we are not thankful for what we have, why should God give us something else to murmur or complain about?

On the other hand, when God sees that we genuinely appreciate and are thankful for everything He gives us—the big things and the little things—He is inclined to bless us even more.

Prayer Starter: Father, thank You that I can have a personal relationship with You. I pray that You are blessed by my thanksgiving. I love You, and I am so grateful for each thing that You have given me, no matter how big or how small. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. — John 15:16

Adapted from the resource Starting Your Day Right Devotional – by Joyce Meyer

The Bible says that we are blessed if our confidence is in the Lord. We will be like trees planted by the waters that continue to bear fruit (see Jeremiah 17:7–8).

I admit that sometimes, at the end of a day, we may feel that all of our fruit has been picked! But God will replenish us if we abide in Him. If we put our trust in God, we will bear all kinds of fruit, and will have new fruit to share with others every morning.

Prayer Starter: Father, I’m nothing in myself—I can’t bear fruit without You! Right now, I take a moment to acknowledge Your presence. Please strengthen me—my mind, my body, and my spirit. Pour Your love into me so I can share it with others today. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. — John 14:28

Adapted from the resource Power Thoughts Devotional – by Joyce Meyer

Jesus experienced adverse circumstances all the time, and while He did talk about His situations, He never did so in a negative way.

In the book of John, He told His disciples He was going away, but they should be happy for Him because it was the will of God. He went on to say He wouldn’t be talking much more with them (see John 14:28–31).

Jesus knew when to talk, when not to talk, and how to talk. He obviously knew the power and impact of words. I believe choosing to say fewer words and making sure the ones He did say were the right ones helped Him complete God’s perfect plan for Him.

Prayer Starter: Lord, help me today to use wisdom with the words I speak. Holy Spirit, please guide me and help me to say only things that are encouraging and positive to others. Help me know when to speak and when to be silent! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come again, tomorrow I will give it”—when you have it with you.— Proverbs 3:28

Adapted from the resource New Day New You Devotional – by Joyce Meyer

We can have good intentions and still be disobedient. Procrastination is very deceptive. We don’t see it as disobedience because we intend to obey God; it is just that we are going to do it when—when we have more money, when we are not so busy, as soon as Christmas is over, after we get the kids in school this year, as soon as vacation is over, etc.

There is no point in praying for God to give you more money so you can be a blessing to others if you are not being a blessing with what you already have.

Don’t believe Satan’s lies that you have nothing to give. Even if it is only a pack of gum or a ballpoint pen, start using what you have to bless others.

Prayer Starter: Father, help me to be a blessing today. Show me ways I can impact someone’s life—even in a small way. Help me to use the resources You have given me to love others and glorify You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

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Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person… — 1 Corinthians 13:7 (AMPC)

Adapted from the resource My Time with God Devotional – by Joyce Meyer

God is reminding me today to look for the good in everyone I meet. I have no difficulty locating what is wrong with people, and in fact, I sometimes seem to be an expert at it!

I don’t like being that way and am thankful that in Christ, I can choose another way of living. If you struggle with this, then you can too.

Jesus has given us a new nature (see 2 Corinthians 5:17), and we can purpose to live out of it and actually learn to treat people the way Jesus would.

I am asking for the “gift of awareness.” I want to be aware of what is right and good about people and not merely what is wrong with them. I don’t want to try and take the speck out of my brother’s eye when I have a log in my own (see Matthew 7:4).

Let’s make this year one of believing the best of everyone we know. It will help us have more joy, and we will enjoy the people in our lives much more than ever before.

Prayer Starter: Dear Jesus, I long to be like You and see people the way You do. Help me take the time to really get to know people and not merely judge them at first glance. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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