My soul yearns for You [O Lord] in the night, yes, my spirit within me seeks You earnestly; for [only] when Your judgments are in the earth will the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness (uprightness and right standing with God).—Isaiah 26:9

If we are hungry enough, we will get something to eat. And if we can’t eat before we leave home, we will go to a drive-thru at a fast-food restaurant. Or we will call a place that delivers food to bring us something to eat.

If we are hungry enough for God, we will find a way into His presence. We should be so hungry for the presence of God that we absolutely will not go out of our house or tackle any kind of project until we have spent some time with Him.

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Enter through the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and spacious and broad is the way that leads away to destruction, and many are those who are entering through it. But the gate is narrow (contracted by pressure) and the way is straitened and compressed that leads away to life, and few are those who find it.—Matthew 7:13-14

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.

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. 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)

From the book New Day, New You by Joyce Meyer.

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Let not yours be the [merely] external adorning with [elaborate] interweaving and knotting of the hair, the wearing of jewelry, or changes of clothes; but let it be the inward adorning and beauty of the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible and unfading charm of a gentle and peaceful spirit, which…is very precious in the sight of God.—1 Peter 3:3-4

Many Christians misunderstand the challenge to value inner beauty over outer appearance, as stated in the above passage. They take the concept to an extreme, believing that any effort to look nice is a sin. What Peter is encouraging us to do, however, is to resist the temptation to confuse outer beauty for what is most important, which is a gentle and peaceful spirit. In other words, don’t be vain or put all your confidence in how you look, because God focuses on what is inside.

But Peter doesn’t say the only way to be virtuous is to wear a brown sack, stop bathing, and give away all your possessions! True, a few people have found God by renouncing all material possessions, but I think in general it is much harder to find anything if you suffer from the constant distractions of discomfort, or if you go out of your way to be as unattractive as possible and get mistreated by others because they think you are a religious fanatic. God cares most that you go forth clothed in righteousness. But righteousness plus a nice outfit never hurt anyone! If people see that you respect yourself, they’ll respect you, too.

Like everything else in life, it is a question of balance. Keep the big picture in mind. Ask yourself, What is the work that God has put me on earth to do? Then decide what amount of attention you should pay to how you look and feel to get the maximum energy, health, and charisma you need to do that work as successfully as possible.

Trust in Him: Do you spend an appropriate amount of time taking care of the body and spirit God has given you? He wants you to look your best, inside and out. Do your part to be a good steward of what He gave you, and trust Him to let you know if you are out of balance.

From the book Trusting God Day by Day by Joyce Meyer.

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I will give them one heart [a new heart] and I will put a new spirit within them; and I will take the stony [unnaturally hardened] heart out of their flesh, and will give them a heart of flesh [sensitive and responsive to the touch of their God]. —Ezekiel 11:19

God has made us sensitive to His touch and wants to lead us to do things that are good for us, like spending time with Him, but He doesn’t want us to turn our devotional time into a law—like believing we have to pray for fifteen minutes, read the Word for twenty minutes, and confess the Word for ten minutes each day in order to please Him.

As soon as we view things as laws and rules, the joy is drained out of them and they are turned into works of the flesh. Let God lead you in your time spent with Him, and you will never get bored. The Holy Spirit is creative, and He will help you keep your time with God fresh and exciting.

Before we accepted Christ, we were too hard-hearted to be led by the Spirit, but God has given us new hearts, and we can follow His guidance.

Power Thought: I am obedient to the touch of God that is guiding and directing my life.

From the book the book Power Thoughts Devotional by Joyce Meyer.

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For by the grace (unmerited favor of God) given to me I warn everyone among you not to estimate and think of himself more highly than he ought [not to have an exaggerated opinion of his own importance], but to rate his ability with sober judgment, each according to the degree of faith apportioned by God to him.—Romans 12:3

When God told Abraham to leave his home and relatives, Abraham first had to go out before God would show him the destination (see Genesis 12:1). As was true of Abraham, God has given each of us “a measure of faith.” For whatever we need to do, we have the faith to do it; but for faith to work, we have to release our faith, and the way we release it is to go in obedience. We have to go with our dreams despite all the “what ifs” and the doubts from the enemy. When we make our step, God shows up.

I cried a swimming pool of tears to get to where I am, and no one was cheering for me, but I am happy and I love my life today. I remember when I woke up in the morning and wished it was time to go to bed, but not anymore.

Don’t live another week where you never follow your dreams and heart.

Remember: God’s rewards are overwhelming.

Lord, You have given me a measure of faith, and I want to live according to it. Help me to follow my heart today and not be hesitant with doubts. Amen.

From the book The Confident Woman Devotional: 365 Daily Devotions by Joyce Meyer.

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Practice hospitality to one another (those of the household of faith). [Be hospitable, be a lover of strangers, with brotherly affection for the unknown guests, the foreigners, the poor, and all others who come your way who are of Christ’s body.]…—1 Peter 4:9

I encourage you to show love for others by simply being friendly. Some people go through life with a lot on their minds—and they can appear to be rather unfriendly, intense, or even rude. I know; I’m one of those people, and maybe you are too. You aren’t unfriendly; you’re simply focused on other things and not always mindful to smile and greet peo¬ple when you see them.

Relationships—casual ones, intimate ones, and all the ones in between—are a large part of life. In fact, the Bible is a book about relation¬ships: our relationships with God, with ourselves, and with others. As I’ve studied the Bible, one of the lessons I’ve learned is to take the time to smile at people, ask how they are, and find something friendly to say to them.

If we’re too busy to be friendly, then we are out of balance and headed for relational disaster. But being appropriately warm and open toward others can put people at ease and is often the first step toward a good relationship.

It’s easy to wonder how we will feel if we smile at people and they don’t smile back; we don’t want to be rejected or ignored. Most of us spend more time in life trying to avoid rejection than we do trying to develop good, healthy relationships. When this happens, we are missing the opportunity to touch people with the love of God through a smile or friendly word. When we give our smiles or a happy hello, we can make someone else smile, and that is one of the best gifts we can give.

Love Others Today: “Lord, please help me be kind and friendly to everyone I meet as a way of showing Your love to them.”

From the book Love Out Loud by Joyce Meyer

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Give instruction to a wise man and he will be yet wiser; teach a righteous man (one upright and in right standing with God) and he will increase in learning. —Proverbs 9:9

Even though God wants us to live joyful, contented lives, He sometimes causes a discontent or a feeling that something is not right because He does not want us to continue doing the same old things anymore. He wants to prod us to seek Him so He can take us to new levels.

God always wants us to grow stronger, to go deeper, and to increase in intimacy with Him. Most of the time, He leads us into that process of maturity by leading us out of places where we have been comfortable in the past. Too much comfort for too long can mean that we are not growing. If you feel something stirring in your heart that you don’t quite understand, just ask God what is happening and take time to wait on Him to answer.

Our time with God is vitally important to our growth and maturity, but we cannot do the same things all the time and experience all that God has for us. I have had times when reading the Bible became laborious and God simply led me to read a different translation for a few months. Just that little change brought new growth because I saw things in a different way. Satan tried to condemn me because I did not want to read the Bible, but God was just trying to get me to make a change in the translation I was reading. One day I felt a bit bored as I tried to read and pray so I moved to another chair in my office and suddenly I saw things that had been in my office for years, but I had not noticed them. A little adjustment caused me to see things from a whole new perspective and God taught me a spiritual lesson just because I sat in a different chair.

God’s Word for You Today: Don’t be afraid to move your chair.

From the book Hearing from God Each Morning: 365 Daily Devotions by Joyce Meyer.

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By your steadfastness and patient endurance you shall win the true life of your souls.—Luke 21:19

You need to learn not to let your mind and emotions get the best of you, especially when it involves things over which you have no control.

Suppose you are on your way to an important interview and get caught in a traffic jam. How do you react? Is it worth getting all upset and unleashing a wild spirit? Wouldn’t it be much better for you and everyone else if you just remained calm, even if you were late for the interview? If you have done your best, God will do the rest.

Refuse to get wild when things don’t go as you planned. Refuse to allow your mind, will, and emotions to rule your spirit. In your patience you will learn to possess your soul.

From the book Ending Your Day Right by Joyce Meyer.

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Even so, every healthy (sound) tree bears good fruit [worthy of admiration], but the sickly (decaying, worthless) tree bears bad (worthless) fruit.—Matthew 7:17

The fruit in our lives (our behavior) comes from somewhere. A person who is angry is that way for a reason. His reaction is the bad fruit of a bad tree with bad roots. It is important for us to take a close and honest look at our fruit as well as our roots.

In my own life, there was a lot of bad fruit. I experienced regular bouts of depression, negativity, self-pity, a quick temper, and the chip-on-the-shoulder syndrome. I was harsh, rigid, legalistic, and judgmental. I held grudges and was fearful.

I worked hard at trying to correct it. Yet it seemed that no matter what kind of bad behavior I tried to get rid of, two or three others popped up somewhere else like weeds. I was not getting to the hidden root of the problem, and it would not die.

If this scenario sounds familiar to you, it may be that you have unresolved issues in your life that need to be searched out and removed so that everything can be made fresh and new. Don’t run away. If God can change me, He certainly can change you.

Rotten fruit comes from rotten roots; good fruit comes from good roots.

From the book Closer to God Each Day by Joyce Meyer.

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You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. —Matthew 5:14

As believers in Christ, we can be bubbling over with life. We can be vibrant, alive, active, energized, peaceful, and joy-filled.

It is our approach to God that determines our attitude and countenance. When we approach God with boldness, thankful for His grace and confident that He loves us and He is for us, we can’t help but be full of life. However, a legalistic, religious approach to God steals life. It does not nourish it. Remember, Paul said, The Law kills, but the Spirit makes alive (2 Corinthians 3:6). When we follow the Spirit, we feel alive.

Each of us should ask ourselves the question, Would people want what I have by watching my life and looking at my countenance? Is my life reflecting a thankful, expectant heart, excited about what God is going to do each new day?

We are to be the light of the world. Make sure your light is shining brightly today.

Prayer of Thanks: Father, I am thankful that I don’t have to approach You through the law, but I can come boldly to Your throne because of Your amazing grace. Thank You that Your grace and joy brighten my life and allow me to be a light for the world to see.

From the book The Power of Being Thankful by Joyce Meyer

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…What I have forgiven…has been for your sakes…to keep Satan from getting the advantage over us; for we are not ignorant of his wiles and intentions. —2 Corinthians 2:10-11

Suppose we receive a package from an overnight carrier. After we open it, we stare at a beautiful, oversized envelope, with our name written on it in exquisite calligraphy. Inside, the invitation starts with these words:

You are invited to enjoy a life filled with misery, worry, and confusion.

Which one of us would say yes to such an outrageous invitation? Don’t we seek the kind of life that keeps us free from such pain and distractions? Yet many of us choose such a life. Not that we blatantly make that choice, but we sometimes surrender—even temporarily—to Satan’s invitation. His attack is ongoing and relentless—the devil is persistent! Our enemy bombards our minds with every weapon at his disposal every day of our lives.

We are engaged in a warfare—a warfare that rages and never stops. We can put on the whole armor of God, halt the evil one’s advances, and stand fast on the Word of God, but we won’t put a complete end to the war. As long as we are alive, our minds remain Satan’s battlefield. Most of our problems are rooted in thinking patterns that produce the problems we experience. This is where Satan triumphs—he offers wrong thinking to all of us. This isn’t a new trick devised for our generation; he began his deceptive ways in the Garden of Eden. The serpent asked the woman, Can it really be that God has said, You shall not eat from every tree of the garden? (Genesis 3:1a). That was the first attack on the human mind. Eve could have rebuked the tempter; instead, she told him God would let them eat from the trees, but not from one particular tree. They couldn’t even touch that tree, because if they did, they would die.

But the serpent said to the woman, You shall not surely die, for God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing the difference ‘between good and evil and blessing and calamity(vs. 4-5).

This was the first attack, and it resulted in Satan’s first victory. What we often miss about temptation and the battle our enemy levels against us is that it comes to us deceptively. Suppose he had said to the woman, “Eat of the fruit. You’ll bring misery, anger, hatred, bloodshed, poverty, and justice into the world.”

Continue reading Joyce Meyer – The Invitation →

When I said, My foot is slipping, Your mercy and loving-kindness, O Lord, held me up.—Psalm 94:18

Some people seem to start their day on the “wrong foot.” They feel all right when they wake up, but as soon as something goes wrong, they lose their footing and walk with a “loser’s limp” the rest of the day. Once they are off to a bad start, it seems they never catch up.

If someone offends us early in the morning, our anger can keep us defensive all day. If we start the day rushing, it seems we never slow down. But to¬day our feet can be firmly planted in God’s Word.

From the book Starting Your Day Right by Joyce Meyer.

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For those who are according to the flesh and are controlled by its unholy desires set their minds on and pursue those things which gratify the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit and are controlled by the desires of the Spirit set their minds on and seek those things which gratify the [Holy] Spirit. —Romans 8:5

If you are walking in the flesh, it’s because you put your mind on fleshly things. If you’re walking in the Spirit, it’s because you put your mind on spiritual things.

Imagine a truck filled with concrete. The concrete is eventually going to take the shape of whatever mold it’s poured into—a driveway, a patio, a retaining wall, a road, or a foundation. The concrete cannot take any form unless a mold is created. Your thoughts are like the mold.

Your thoughts create a shape for God to pour His power into, to do something with your life. If you want a powerful life, choose to keep your mind on things that agree with God’s will so He can work with you toward your goals.

Power Thought: My mind is set on spiritual things.

From the book the book Power Thoughts Devotional by Joyce Meyer.

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. . . You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind (intellect). This is the great (most important, principal) and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as [you do] yourself. —Matthew 22:37-39

Loving God, yourself, and other people should be our focus in life. We should be “love-focused” individuals. Receive God’s amazing, unconditional love, then you can love yourself and live to give the love away that God has given to you. It is God’s number one priority, and it should be ours also.

This is the time of year in which we often look back and look forward. Take time to survey what your life has been like compared to what you want it to be, and work with God to make whatever changes need to be made. I urge you to end this year with a commitment to abide in love, for when we abide in love we abide in God. Jesus said, “I give you a new commandment that you should love one another, just as I have loved you, so you too should love one another. By this shall all (men) know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.”

Everyone chooses to live for something! What will your choice be? I implore you not to live for yourself, but to choose to live striving to obey the the “new Commandment” that Jesus gave. Now faith, hope, and love abide, but the greatest of these is love (see 1 Corinthians 13:13).

Today and Every Day…Love God, Love Yourself, and Love Others. And don’t forget to love out loud!

From the book Love Out Loud by Joyce Meyer.

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For we all often stumble and fall and offend in many things. And if anyone does not offend in speech [never says the wrong things], he is a fully developed character and a perfect man, able to control his whole body and to curb his entire nature. —James 3:2

Our thoughts and words about ourselves are tremendously important. In order to overcome the negative thinking and speaking that have been such a natural part of our lifestyle for so long, we must make a conscious effort to meditate on and speak positive things about ourselves. We need to get our mouth in line with what the Word of God says about us.

Positive confession of the Word of God should be an ingrained habit of every believer. If you have not yet begun to develop this important habit, start today. Begin thinking and saying good things about yourself: “I am the righteousness of God in Jesus Christ. I prosper in everything I lay my hand to. I have gifts and talents, and God is using me. I operate in the fruit of the Spirit. I walk in love. Joy flows through me.”

We can appropriate the blessings of God in our lives if we will continually and purposefully speak about ourselves what the Word of God says about us. We will receive positive results.

Lord, I will make the positive confession of Your Word an ingrained habit of my life. Help me to get my mouth in line with the truth of what You have done for me. Amen.

From the book The Confident Woman Devotional: 365 Daily Devotions by Joyce Meyer.

http://www.joycemeyer.org

So when He had finished washing their feet and had put on His garments and had sat down again, He said to them, do you understand what I have done to you?—John 13:12

I believe that only secure people can be true servants. Jesus was able to put on a servant’s towel and wash the feet of His disciples because He knew Who He was, where He came from, and where He was going. He had no fear and nothing to prove, so He was free to serve. Many people in our society need a high position to make them feel that they have worth and value. Being a servant is often looked on as a low job, but in God’s mind it is the highest position that exists. Being a true servant begins with a humble heart, and that is a heart and spirit that is acceptable to God. No matter what our natural employment may be, our call from God is to serve Him and others.

In washing the disciples’ feet, Jesus gave them an example of how they should live, and told them that if they would serve others, they would be blessed and happy to such a degree that they would be envied (see John 13:17). When we serve one another, we become part of one another. We experience the true meaning of love. Jesus was the highest of all, yet He humbled Himself and became a servant. Are you willing to follow His example?

From the book Hearing from God Each Morning: 365 Daily Devotions by Joyce Meyer

http://www.joycemeyer.org

The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. —James 5:16

For prayer to be effective it must be fervent. However, if we misunderstand the word fervent, we may feel that we have to “work up” some strong emotion before we pray; otherwise, our prayers will not be effective. At times I experience a great deal of emotion while at prayer, sometimes I even cry. But there are plenty of times when I don’t feel emotional and don’t cry. I am sincere in my praying, but I don’t feel anything out of the ordinary. We can’t base the value of our prayers on feelings. I remember enjoying so much those prayer times when I could feel God’s presence, and then wondering what was wrong during the times when I didn’t feel anything. I learned after a while that faith is not based on feelings in the emotions, but on knowledge in the heart.

Also, James 5:16 states that the fervent prayer of a “righteous” man is powerful. This means a man who is not under condemnation—one who has confidence in God and in the power of prayer. It does not mean a man without any imperfection in his life.

The book of James goes on to talk about Elijah. Elijah was a powerful man of God who did not always behave perfectly, but he still prayed powerful prayers. He loved God and wanted to know His will and fulfill His call upon his life. But sometimes he gave in to human weaknesses and tried to avoid the consequences of that will and calling. In many ways, Elijah was a lot like you and me. In 1 Kings 18, we see him moving in tremendous power, calling down fire from heaven and slaying 450 prophets of Baal at God’s command. Then immediately afterwards, in 1 Kings 19, we see him fearfully running from Jezebel, becoming negative and depressed, and even wanting to die. Like many of us, Elijah let his emotions get the upper hand.

The fact that James instructs us to pray powerful effective prayers like the righteous men and women of God—and then gives a discourse on Elijah and how he was a human being just like us, and yet prayed powerful prayers—should give us enough “scriptural power” to defeat condemnation when it rises up to tell us we cannot pray powerfully because of our weaknesses and faults.

From the book New Day, New You by Joyce Meyer.

http://www.joycemeyer.org

And now I am coming to You; I say these things while I am still in the world, so that My joy may be made full and complete and perfect in them [that they may experience My delight fulfilled in them, that My enjoyment may be perfected in their own souls, that they may have My gladness within them, filling their hearts].—John 17:13

When Jesus prayed to the Father in John 17:13, He actually prayed that we would have joy. He said, “I say these things . . . so that My joy may be made full and complete and perfect in them…” With Jesus Himself speaking and praying such powerful words about His desire for us to have joy, how could we ever doubt that God wants us to be happy and enjoy our lives?

If it is God’s desire that we enjoy life, then why are so many people miserable and unhappy? Perhaps it is because we fail to set our minds to enjoy life. We can easily fall into a pattern of merely surviving and enduring rather than enjoying. But a new mind-set will release you to begin enjoying life like never before. The more you enjoy life, the more enjoyable you will be to be around, so get started today and don’t delay.

Prayer of Thanks: I thank You, Father, that it is Your will for me to have joy. Regardless of what my circumstances look like around me, I will choose to live the kind of life You have for me. Thank You that I can have overwhelming, abundant joy every day of my life.

From the book The Power of Being Thankful by Joyce Meyer.

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I do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers. [For I always pray to] the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, that He may grant you a spirit of wisdom and revelation [of insight into mysteries and secrets] in the [deep and intimate] knowledge of Him, by having the eyes of your heart flooded with light, so that you can know and understand the hope to which He has called you, and how rich is His glorious inheritance in the saints (His set-apart ones). —Ephesians 1:16-18

This section in Ephesians is difficult for many of us to understand. What does Paul mean by “the eyes of your heart flooded with light” (v. 18)? I believe he is referring to the mind, because that’s what needs enlightenment. It is with the mind that we grasp God’s truths and hold to them.

Too many of us have difficulty being “flooded with light” because we are distracted with too many other things. The apostle prays for us to have what I call a normal mind—a mind that’s open to the Holy Spirit’s work—so that we may follow God’s plan and live enriched lives.

One way to think about the idea of a normal mind is to look at two of Jesus’ friends, Mary and Martha. Most people know the story of the sisters and the visit Jesus made to their home in Bethany. Martha scurried around, making certain that everything in their home was exactly right, while Mary sat down to listen to Jesus. Luke says Martha “was distracted with much serving” (see Luke 10:40), and she complained to Jesus that she needed her sister’s help.

Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things (v. 41), Jesus told her, and then He commended Mary for having chosen the “good portion.”

As I thought about that incident, I realized it was more than Martha being distracted. I’m sure her mind jumped around, making certain that everything was exactly right. The implication is that even if there had been nothing more to do, Martha wouldn’t have stopped to sit at Jesus’ feet. She was so caught up in busyness that her mind would have searched for something else to do.

The Marthas seem to be in control of our world, don’t they? They are the ones who get things done. When they’re not accomplishing their own goals, they seem to be telling others what they should do. In today’s world of “multi-tasking,” the Marthas seem to get the awards and the accolades. Some people are busy all the time. They wear their busyness like a badge, as if that makes them more important.

Continue reading Joyce Meyer – My Normal Mind →