Tag Archives: Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Make the Sacrifice

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

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

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

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

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – This Is a Test

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

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

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

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

 

 

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Are You Distracted or Determined?

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

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

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

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

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

 

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Spiritual Praying

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Enjoy the Journey

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Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all you lands! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come before His presence with singing! Psalm 100:1-2

So many Christians are headed somewhere, but not many of us are enjoying the trip. It would be such a tragedy to arrive at the end of your journey only to realize you had not enjoyed life to its fullest. Often, you think you must do something great, and you forget the simple things that bless the Lord. Serving the Lord with gladness is a worthy goal. He rejoices when your heart is filled with joy and your mouth is filled with praise.

You should be determined to finish your course. But like Paul, you should strive to run the race with joy. Whatever your present station in life, whatever you are called to do, wherever you are called to go, enjoy the journey. Don’t waste one day of the precious life God has given you. Rejoice in the Lord, and again I say, rejoice!

 

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Shake It Off!

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…And you will be given a new name by the Lord’s own mouth. Never again will you be called “The Forsaken City” or “The Desolate Land.” Your new name will be “The City of God’s Delight” and “The Bride of God,” for the Lord delights in you and will claim you as his bride. (Isaiah 62:2, 4 NLT)

Have you ever noticed all the people throughout the Bible that God gave a fresh start? Moses was an old man before he had an encounter with a burning bush and was called by God to lead a nation. Then David, a humble shepherd boy, was anointed to be the king of Israel. Peter, the apostle who denied Christ, was forgiven and called to spend the rest of his life preaching and glorifying God. And Paul, who once persecuted God’s people, was transformed on the road to Damascus and ended up writing much of the New Testament.

When you think about all the people throughout the Scriptures whom God forgave, redeemed and used in mighty ways, can you doubt that He is able to do the same for you? Our God is the God of “do overs,” second chances, fresh starts and new beginnings. And He doesn’t have any limit on how many you can have. But sometimes, we lose sight of what God can do because of something in the past that has us stuck, unable to move forward with the wonderful plans He so desperately wants to reveal to us.

For me, it was the memory of sexual abuse I experienced as a child. For many years I was stuck in a place of anger and bitterness because of what happened to me. I had a big chip on my shoulder and wanted someone to pay for what had happened to me. I took my feelings out on everybody around me. Then I would feel guilty for the way I was, get on my knees and pray over and over again “Please forgive me, Lord.” Then finally one day I heard God way down in my spirit say, Joyce, I forgave you the first time you asked me. Now you have to forgive yourself and move on. I had to receive His free gift of grace so I could release my past, and little by little, move on from it.

Frozen in a Moment

Maybe you’re stuck, frozen in a moment. It might be past abuse. It could be a personal failure of some kind or something completely beyond your control, like an illness or the death of a loved one. Perhaps you’ve been disappointed by an unmet expectation—nothing turned out the way you wanted it to. So you think, it’s over. It’s too late for me.

But it isn’t too late. It’s never too late to have a fresh start when you have life in Christ. Your past is not your destiny. If you refuse to give up hope, and allow the Holy Spirit to lead you out of your “stuck” place, not only will God restore what you had, He will make your life even better:

And I will restore or replace for you the years that the locust has eaten—the hopping locust, the stripping locust, and the crawling locust, My great army which I sent among you. And you shall eat in plenty and be satisfied and praise the name of the Lord, your God, Who has dealt wondrously with you. And My people shall never be put to shame. (Joel 2:25-26 AMP)

You Gotta’ Get Out of the Boat

You have a bright future waiting for you. God’s Word promises, For I know the plans I have for you…plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope (Jeremiah 29:11 NLT).

But you have to learn to take a step of faith. Just like Peter, you can’t walk on water if you won’t get out of the boat (see Matthew 14:28-29). It may be harder than you thought—and it may cost you something. But if you follow the Holy Spirit’s leading, it will produce good fruit in your life.

Romans 6:13 (NLT) says, …Give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God.

So often God leads but we don’t want to go where He’s leading. We must learn how to yield instead of being resistant—learn to surrender instead of being stubborn. When you do, you will enjoy your life, even when things don’t turn out exactly the way you wanted them to. And if God asks you to give something up, understand that He’s not trying to take away something you like or want just to be mean. God always has your best interest at heart. Trust where He’s taking you.

Baby Steps of Faith

Second Corinthians 5:17 says if anyone is in Christ they are a new creation. When you were born again, He gave you a new heart and a new way of living. But in the beginning, we are all like babies learning to walk. When babies take their first steps, they fall down many times. But they always get back up and try again. God is asking you to do the same thing.

When you fall down in life, you have to get back up, regroup and take another step. But no matter how many times you fall down, eventually you will get to where you need to be—if you will simply choose not to give up. Your new beginning is closer than you think. Just keep walking!

And He Who is seated on the throne said, See! I make all things new…(Revelation 21:5 AMP)

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Be Kind and Encouraging

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It [Love] is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God’s love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong]. 1 Corinthians 13:5

I have learned that one of the secrets to my own personal peace is letting people be who God made them to be, rather than trying to make them be who I would like them to be. I do my best to enjoy their strengths and be merciful toward their weaknesses because I have plenty of my own. I don’t need to try to take the speck out of their eye while I have a telephone pole in my own.

A woman I know was widowed not long ago, and she was telling me about her relationship with her husband. This woman is pretty strong-willed and likes things to go her way. She told me that when she was first married, she noticed a lot of things about her husband that annoyed her. Like any good wife, she told her husband about his annoying traits and habits so he could change.

Gradually it dawned on her that although she was very good about telling her husband all the things about him that needed to change, he never returned the favor! As she wondered why, she realized that somewhere along the line her husband had made a decision not to look at—or for— her flaws. He knew she had plenty! But he wasn’t going to focus on them. It occurred to her that she could continue to point out all his annoying traits—or she could choose not to, just as her husband had done.

At the end of our conversation, she told me that in the twelve years they were married, her husband never said an unkind word to her. I think we can all take a lesson from that.

Trust in Him Ask God to help you be kind to everyone. Don’t say an unkind word today—focus on the strengths of the people you come in contact with, and do all that you can to encourage them.

 

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Be Happy Even if You Are Suffering

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But even in case you should suffer for the sake of righteousness,[you are] blessed ( happy, to be envied). Do not dread or be afraid of their threats, nor be disturbed [by their opposition]. 1 Peter 3:14

According to this scripture, you can be happy even if you are suffering, as long as you are suffering for the sake of righteousness. Why? Because God is just, and even though you are being persecuted for doing the right thing, in the end you will win, because when you sow right seeds you will reap a good harvest.

What sense would it make for the Bible to say you are to be envied when you are persecuted unless you had a huge reward coming? Justice means everything wrong is made right. When you suffer for doing the right thing, God will give you double for your trouble (see Isaiah 61:7) because God always blesses those who do the right thing.

Power Thought: God’s reward is greater than any suffering I will endure for a season.

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Don’t Be Afraid to Stop

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The thoughts and purposes of the [consistently] righteous are honest and reliable, but the counsels and designs of the wicked are treacherous. —Proverbs 12:5

Don’t be ashamed to back off if you get out in the middle of something and find that God is not in it. Just be secure enough to simply say, “I thought this was God, but it’s not, so I am not going to do it anymore.”

You can apologize to others if you caused them any trouble or confusion. But there is no shame in quickly admitting that you were wrong. It is more important not to perpetuate a mistake than it is to keep people from thinking you were wrong. Don’t be afraid to say, “I didn’t hear from God.” Honesty will keep your day going right, all day long.

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Don’t Let Your Emotions Vote

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Do not be misled, my beloved brethren.—James 1:16

If we desire to walk after the Spirit, all our actions must be governed by God’s principles. In the realm of the Spirit, there is a precise standard of right and wrong, and how we feel does not alter that standard.

If doing the right thing requires a “yes” from us, then it must be “yes” whether we feel excited or discouraged. If it is “no,” then it is “no.” A principled life is enormously different from an emotional life. When an emotional person feels thrilled or happy, he may undertake what he ordinarily would not do. But when he feels cold and emotionless or melancholy, he will not fulfill his duty, because his feelings refuse to cooperate.

All who desire to be truly spiritual must conduct themselves daily according to godly principles. A good sign to show you’re growing and maturing in Christ is when you consistently obey, even when you don’t feel like it.

Learn not to ask yourself how you feel about things, but instead ask yourself if doing or not doing something is right for you. You may know that you need to do something, but you don’t feel like doing it at all. You can wish you felt like it, but wishing does no good. You must live by principle and simply choose to do what you know is right. There may be a certain thing you want to do badly. It might be a purchase you want to make that you know is too expensive. Your feelings vote “yes,” but your heart says “no.” Tell your feelings they don’t get to vote. They are too immature to vote and will never vote for what is best for you in the long run.

We don’t allow people to vote in political elections until they are eighteen, because we assume they would be too immature to know what they are doing. Why not look at your emotions the same way?

They have always been a part of you, but they are very immature. They are without wisdom and cannot be trusted to do the right thing, so just don’t let them vote. We mature but our emotions don’t, and if they are left unchecked, our lives will be a series of unfinished and disappointing ventures.

Trust in Him Pray and ask God to help you trust Him more than you trust your emotions.

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Get Addicted to Peace

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Peace I leave with you; My [own] peace I now give and bequeath to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. John 14:27

Many people cannot hear from God because they have too much turmoil in their lives. Their insides are like a freeway during rush-hour traffic. They literally don’t know how to be peaceful; it is as if they are addicted to turmoil. They keep things agitated and stirred up, seemingly on purpose. In fact, they get comfortable living in a state of chaos. It has become their normal state, even though in God’s economy it is not normal at all.

It sounds strange, but when I started learning to be peaceful, I was bored at first! I was so accustomed to having something major going on in my life all the time that I wondered, What am I supposed to do with myself? Romans 3:17 says, And they have no experience of the way of peace [they know nothing about peace, for a peaceful way they do not even recognize].

That describes how my life used to be. I had no experience at all in enjoying a peaceful life; I did not even know how to begin. I had grown up in an atmosphere of strife, and it was all I ever knew. I had to learn an entirely new way of living.

But now I’m addicted to peace. As soon as my peace disappears, I ask myself how I lost it and start looking for ways to get it back. I am believing that as you read this you will become so hungry for peace with God, peace with yourself, and peace with others that you will be willing to make whatever adjustments you need to make in order to have it. I am also believing that you will begin to follow peace at all times, because peace will lead you into the perfect will of God.

Jesus said that if we follow Him, He will give us peace (free of charge). In fact, He said He will bequeath His own peace to us (see John 14:27).

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – No Longer a Victim

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He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds [curing their pains and their sorrows].Psalm 147:3

You may have been a victim at one point in your life, but you don’t have to remain one. You can be emotionally healthy and whole in your soul. The Word of God promises that God will heal your wounds. He will help you . . .He’s waiting to help you.

We all have painful issues from the past that we need to deal with. Many of them were not our fault, and it isn’t fair that we should suffer because of other people’s behavior. Perhaps you were teased mercilessly as a child and still feel insecure or sensitive because of that old pain. Maybe someone you loved left you without explanation, or you may have been abused in some way. Whatever the source of your pain, be thankful that God loves you and wants to heal you. You don’t have to spend your life as a victim; you can have victory and even help bring victory to others.

Prayer of Thanks Father, I thank You that You are a healer. You have not left me to suffer in the pain of the past—You are healing my wounds and giving me the strength to move forward. Today is a new day, and I am going to enjoy every minute of it!

Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; H.L.M. – Praying His Plan

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James Holmes was once a promising neuroscience graduate student. That is, until Holmes committed one of the worst mass killings in U.S. history in a crowded cinema in Denver. Twelve people tragically died and 70 were injured on July 20, 2012. Holmes’ mother, Arlene, chose to deal with her grief with proactive prayer. After her son was arrested for the shooting, Arlene prayed every day for each victim. She also regularly prays for the mentally ill. “People think he is a monster, but he has a disease that changed his brain. I am praying for good men and women engulfed in psychosis and alone with their disease.”

And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.

Matthew 21:22

When Jesus spoke to His followers about the power of prayer, He was not telling them they would receive anything they want simply by asking and believing. Rather, prayer must be in harmony with the principles of God’s kingdom and with His will.

The Lord’s priority is that each person embrace a relationship with Jesus Christ. So as you intercede for America’s leaders, lay aside any of your personal opinions and focus on God’s plan for their lives. Ask Him to reveal His love and truth to them in a powerful, life-changing way!

Recommended Reading: John 14:12-21

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – One Bite at a Time

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God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.—James 1:12

It has been said that conversion has made our hearts a battlefield. It is true. When you believe in Jesus Christ, a battle begins in your heart. It is a battle between God and Satan. When you take that step and make a commitment to Lord, the Devil will want to pull you away from the commitment you have made.

So if you have found yourself being tempted a lot lately, then cheer up. It is actually an indication that you are living as a true Christian.

It is not a sin to be tempted. That is a strategy the Devil loves to use. He will tempt you, and then he will condemn you for being tempted. It is not a sin to be tempted; it is a sin when you give in to the temptation. It is not the bait that constitutes sin; it is the bite. If you refuse it and overcome it, God promises to bless you for it. We read in James, “God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him” (James 1:12).

The bottom line is that you are under the control and power of the Lord Jesus Christ. You have God’s ID tag attached to you, and the Devil can no longer control you. He can no longer manipulate you. So he will try to draw you out. He will try to weaken your resolve. He will try to get you to compromise. He will try to take you one bite at a time. It’s a little bit here, a compromise there, a little lowering your guard in a certain area. And pretty soon, you will find yourself in a place where you never wanted to be.

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Think About What You Are Thinking About

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Whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things, fix your minds on them]. Philippians 4:8

Some people are very unhappy, and they have been that way so long that they no longer realize there is another option. I can well remember being like that. I blamed my unhappiness on the way others behaved. I thought my husband and children caused me the most unhappiness. If they would change and just be a little more sensitive to my needs, I knew I’d feel better. If they would help around the house more, volunteer to run errands, or just ask how I was doing, I knew I’d be happy. Of course, I never said anything to them. If they were sensitive and caring, I thought, they would be able to see how they could help me and make my life easier. I did pray about it, and I often told God how much happier I would be if they cooperated more, but they didn’t change.

One day, God spoke to me but not with the words I wanted to hear. He said, Think about what you are thinking about. I had no idea what God meant. In fact, the words didn’t make sense. How could I think about what I was thinking about?

Then I realized the truth. My mind raced from one thought to another. That was bad enough, but worse, my thoughts centered around myself and my needs. I had thought that if the other people in my life changed, I would be happy. I finally reluctantly admitted that even if they changed, I’d find something else to be unhappy about. I was just unhappy and didn’t need any particular reason. It was first one thing and then another.

As I pondered my condition, I thought of Philippians 4:8, where Paul presented a list of the kind of things we need to focus on If God did not want me to think about the things I was thinking about, I first needed to know what I should think about. I soon realized I had a lot to learn. Although I had been attending church for years, I could not remember anyone ever telling me how important my thoughts were to God and to my quality of life.

If we concentrate our thoughts on good things the kind of things Paul mentioned in that verse we will be built up. We will grow spiritually and become strong in the Lord.

As I continued to meditate on God’s message, I realized how my thoughts affected my attitude and this is true of all of us. God tells us to do things that are for our good. He wants us to be happy and fulfilled. If we want happiness and fulfillment, we must find it God’s way. If we’re full of wrong thoughts, we’re miserable. That’s a theory that’s spoken from my own experience and is found in God’s Word. I’ve also learned that when we’re miserable, we usually end up making others around us miserable, too.

Since those days, I’ve made it a practice to take a regular inventory of my thoughts. I review the way I think. What have I been thinking about?I ask myself.

I stress this because as I learned from my own experience Satan deceives us into thinking that the source of our misery or pain is other people or sometimes our situations. He tries not to let us face the fact that our own thoughts are the source of our unhappiness. I would venture to say that it is practically impossible to be happy while maintaining negative, critical, depressing thoughts.

We need to overcome Satan in this area of the battle for our thoughts, and God will help us if we ask Him to.

Dear Lord Jesus, I have determined to think about the things I have been thinking about. I admit that my thoughts are the source of any unhappiness that I experience and not other people. I also know that the source of my victory is in You, and in Your name, I ask You to give me greater victory as I monitor my thoughts through the help of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – Equipped to Serve

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There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. —1 Corinthians 12:4

Many times through the process of elimination, you will discover what you are not so good at. Then in time, you will discover what you are good at—and it might be something you’ve never thought of.

I wanted to be one thing, and God said, “I will use that somewhat, but I’m going to call you to this other thing where you have no personal skill set so that you will be completely dependent on Me for it to work.”

God wants to use you, God has a place for you, and God has gifts that He has instilled in you and wants you to put into action. To find out what you are called to do, you need to pray about it. I would also suggest that you do various things, and if they don’t work, then do something else. A lot of times we are praying for a sign from Heaven when that so-called sign might come in the form of an announcement that help is needed in Sunday school, or help is needed somewhere else. Why not get out there and just help where you can? Why not say, “All right, Lord. I’m available. I will do what You want me to do. I’m willing to take a step of faith”?

God might be gifting you in a way and in an area you’ve never even dreamed of.

Maybe you have messed up in life, and when you think about being used by God, you have a hard time wrapping your mind around being forgiven by Him. He made provision for you through Jesus Christ, who died for you, paid for all your sin, and then rose from the dead. If you will turn from your sin and ask for His forgiveness, He will pardon you.

Joyce Meyer
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Joyce Meyer – Loving Correction

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

When we need correction—and we all need it at one time or another—it is the Lord’s desire to correct us Himself. Whom the Lord loves, He chastens (see Hebrews 12:6). God’s correction or chastisement is not a bad thing; it is always and ultimately only for your good.

The fact that it works toward your good does not mean it always feels good or that it is something you enjoy immediately. In fact, correction can be one of the most difficult things to receive—especially when it comes through another person. Even if you have problems, you don’t want others to know you have them. Usually God prefers to correct you privately, but if you won’t accept His correction, He will use whatever tools are at His disposal. In Balaam’s case, God used his donkey! Whatever God decides to use to correct us, we should submit to Him knowing that He loves us and only has our ultimate good in mind.

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Follow Your Heart’s Desires

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Who is the man who reverently fears and worships the Lord? Him shall He teach in the way that he should choose. He himself shall dwell at ease, and his offspring shall inherit the land.Psalm 25:12–13

To enjoy your life, start following the God-given desires of your heart instead of the desires of your flesh. You may need to mature in faith before you can tell the difference between your flesh and Spirit-led desires.

One way to tell if you are following a desire of your flesh is that when you step out to do it, you will lose your peace and face a struggle. If it is not of God, you will feel like you are pushing a dead horse uphill. If it is a God-given desire of the Spirit, it will work like a well-oiled machine. It will flow, with what I call a “Holy ease.” Start your day right, and follow your heart.

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – We Want the Real Thing

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I am speaking the truth in Christ. I am not lying; my conscience [enlightened and prompted] by the Holy Spirit bearing witness with me . . . Romans 9:1

Nobody likes being tricked. We don’t like false advertising, phony small-talk, or fake relationships. In our world, people often put on a plastic smile and tell everyone they’re doing fine while inside they’re falling apart. It’s all an illusion.

As Christians we often believe we should feel better than we do or that it is wrong to feel the way we do, so we hide our feelings from everyone. Sometimes we try to hide the way we really feel from ourselves. We pretend to have faith while we’re full of doubt. We pretend to be happy while we are miserable; and we pretend to be in control and have it all together, but at home behind closed doors, we are totally different people. We don’t want to admit that we are living phony lives, so we stay busy enough that we never have to deal with things as they really are. We may even bury ourselves in church work or spiritual activity as a way of hiding from God. He is trying to show us truth, but we would rather work for Him than listen to Him.

God just wants us to be honest and real. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking all your feelings are wrong. Being a person of faith does not mean you will never have negative or ungodly feelings. We will experience feelings that need to be dealt with, but we can always exercise our faith in God and ask Him to help us to not allow our feelings to control us. The Bible says we live by faith and not by sight (see 2 Corinthians 5:7). That means we don’t make decisions based on what we see or feel, but according to our faith in God and His promises to us.

Trust in Him You need to trust that the real you, even on your worst day, is better than being fake or phony. Make the choice today to be honest, genuine, and authentic with God and with all the people in your life.

 

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Free in Christ

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In [this] freedom Christ has made us free [and completely liberated us]; stand fast then, and do not be hampered and held ensnared and submit again to a yoke of slavery [which you have once put off]. Galatians 5:1

As your relationship with God matures, you will find yourself living less by rules and regulations and more by the desires of your heart. As you learn more of the Word, you will find His desires filling your heart, and it will be easier for you to discern God’s will. God wants you to know His heart well enough that you will want to follow the prompting, leading, and guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Once you are free in Christ, stand fast in that liberty and do not become ensnared with legalism, which is the yoke of bondage you have put off. God wants to bring you into a new place, a place full of freedom to follow your heart.

Power Thought: I am free to live for Christ.