The woman said to Him, I know that Messiah is coming. He Who is called the Christ (the Anointed One); and when arrives, He will He tell us everything we need to know and make it clear to us.

— John 4:25 (AMPC)

Learning to hear from God and be led by the Holy Spirit is an exciting adventure. God wants to speak to you and tell you what you need to know to enjoy your life, be blessed, be wise, and fulfill the good plans. He has for you. He always has something good and helpful to say, but sometimes people miss knowing these things because they fail to recognize that God is speaking to them. They need to learn how to hear and obey His voice.

Earthly parents talk to their children all the time, so why wouldn’t our heavenly Father speak to us? Human parents do not expect their children to know what to do if they don’t tell them, and God feels the same way toward His children. He wants to tell us everything we need to know in life.

We often want to go our own way so we can do what we want to do, when we want to do it. But, when we live this way, we end up losing our way and wasting our lives. We need the Holy Spirit to guide us through each day of our time on earth, and He is committed to doing so by speaking to us and telling us everything we need to know.

Prayer of the Day: Father, please help me to always hear Your voice and be guiding by the Holy Spirit. Help me to embrace Your plans for my life, Your wisdom, and live a life filled to overflowing with Your blessings! Thank You, amen.

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Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!

— Psalm 133:1 (AMPC)

strong>Great power was manifested in the lives of the early believers. Acts 2:46 (AMPC) tells us why: And day after day they regularly assembled in the temple with united purpose…. They had the same vision, the same goal, and they were all pressing toward the same mark. They prayed in agreement (see Acts 4:24), lived in harmony (see Acts 2:44), cared for one another (see Acts 2:46), met each other’s needs (see Acts 4:34), and lived a life of faith (see Acts 4:31). The early church lived in unity—and operated in great power.

Now the church is divided into countless factions with different opinions about everything. Even individual congregations are split by the most trivial differences. When we finally see Jesus face-to-face, we will surely discover that not one of us was 100 percent right. Only love holds people together. Make a strong commitment to do whatever is necessary to live in unity—you will discover how good it is!

Prayer of the Day: Father, I want power in my life like the early believers experienced. Help me to walk in love and show me Your power in every area of my life, amen.

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Enter into His gates with thanksgiving and a thank offering and into His courts with praise! Be thankful and say so to Him, bless and affectionately praise His name!

— Psalm 100:4 (AMPC)

A person flowing in the mind of Christ will find his thoughts filled with praise and thanksgiving. A powerful life cannot be lived without thanksgiving. The Bible instructs us over and over in the principle of thanksgiving. It is a life principle.

Many doors are opened to the enemy through complaining. Some people are physically ill and live weak, powerless lives due to this disease called complaining that attacks the thoughts and conversations of people.

We can offer thanksgiving at all times—in every situation, in all things—and by so doing, enter into the victorious life Jesus died to give us. It may require a sacrifice of praise or thanksgiving, but a person who consciously takes the time to be grateful is always happier than someone who does not.

You can choose to be filled with gratitude not only toward God but also toward people. Expressing appreciation blesses the people around you, but it is also good for you because it releases joy in your life.

Prayer of the Day: Lord, when I really stop to think about it, my mind and heart are filled with gratitude for the many blessings I enjoy in my life. Help me to always be thankful and drive out all negativity and all complaining, amen.

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For this commandment which I command you this day is not too difficult for you, nor is it far off.

— Deuteronomy 30:11 (AMPC)

“This is too hard” is one of the excuses we hear most frequently. But we are equipped by God’s Spirit to handle hard things. We are anointed to press through and see victory. The next time you are tempted to say something is too hard, look at Deuteronomy 30:11, which says, “It is not too difficult!”

Anything God leads you to do, you can do. God never leads you to do something unless He gives you the power and the ability to do it. Prepare yourself for right action with power thoughts. Think, I don’t know how I’m going to do it, I don’t feel like I can do it, but God is leading me to do it. And I believe if He is leading me to do it, then I can. Because I believe I can do whatever I need to do through the power of God that resides in me.

Prayer of the Day: Father God, please guide me, direct me, and strengthen my faith. I know that through Your power, I can overcome any challenge I may face, amen.

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But let every person carefully scrutinize and examine and test his own conduct and his own work….

— Galatians 6:4 (AMPC)

When offenses come and we are tempted to get into strife, it is wise for us to examine our thoughts and take ownership of our actions.

If you find that you are justifying having a bad attitude, I encourage you to realize that justifying any bad behavior that the Word of God condemns is a dangerous thing. It keeps us deceived and unable to take ownership of our faults.

Nobody enjoys saying, “I was wrong—please forgive me,” but it is one of the most powerful six-word sentences in the world. It brings peace to turmoil; joy replaces frustration, and this attitude puts a smile on God’s face. He is delighted when we follow His ways instead of our own thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

Prayer of the Day: Lord, please help me to see myself as You see me and to leave the past behind once and for all. Please help me to renew my mind and embrace my identity as Your child—made right in You, amen.

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Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord their God.

— Psalm 146:5 (NIV)

Today is a day to be filled with hope. In fact, every day you walk with God can be filled with hope. All you have to do is choose hope over cynicism, hope over fear, and hope over all kinds of negativity. Hope will keep you positive, full of faith, and happy.

Most people who are unhappy in life are unhappy because they choose to focus on unhappy things. They see the worst in other people, they talk about what is wrong in their own lives, and they have a generally negative outlook. Hope does the opposite. Hope sees the best in others, it speaks about what is going well and declares good things, and it looks for the positive in the circumstances of life. Most of all, hope expects God to do something good in every situation. This is why hope makes us happy.

I urge you today to have a hopeful attitude. Like the psalmist, put your hope in the Lord your God—not in a job or a paycheck, not in a relationship, and not in another person. God is the giver of every good gift (James 1:17), and He wants to bless you. Expect Him to do something good in your life today.

Prayer of the Day: Today, Lord, I choose to hope in You. I’m expecting You to do something good!

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 …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 (AMPC)

We have joy, but we will not experience it fully unless we stop doing things that dilute or hinder it. The devil tries to make us joyless, but we do not have to let him succeed. Here are five simple ways to keep your joy today.

First, remember that your thoughts are very important. Don’t worry, fret, or be anxious about the future. Instead of reasoning, which leads to confusion, trust God.

Second, don’t become entangled or meddle in other people’s business. We all have enough to attend to, and we should not waste our time in situations that do not concern us. Learn to pick your battles, and don’t make a big deal out of little things.

Third, learn to forgive quickly for your own sake. And when you sin, be quick to repent and don’t waste time feeling guilty about something God has forgiven and forgotten. Fourth, be positive in your thoughts, words, and attitudes—and your joy will overflow.

Finally, live one day at a time. God gives us grace for each day, but not until that day comes, so go ahead and enjoy today fully.

Prayer of the Day: Father, I’m sorry for the joyless days I have spent because of wrong thoughts and attitudes. Forgive me and teach me how to experience full joy in You. Thank You. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.

— Isaiah 26:3 (AMPC)

God never told us to have a busy mind, but a mind that is filled with peace. I recently experienced several days in which I was extremely tired. Actually, exhausted was more like it, and I couldn’t understand why. I was getting good sleep, and, yes, I had a lot going on, but that is not unusual for me.

After putting up with it for a couple of days and complaining frequently, I finally asked God why I was so tired. I just didn’t understand. He showed me that it wasn’t physical tiredness that I felt, but mental tiredness. I had been thinking too much! I must say I was surprised, but as I took an honest look at all the things that were on my mind—while I was simultaneously doing a lot of things like recording for television, working on a book, and traveling—I understood what God was showing me.

In addition to all that, I was attempting to do a lot of creative thinking about upcoming teaching seminars, books, making changes in some ministry areas, finances, and other things. But I should have been giving my mind to what I was doing, instead of doing one thing and thinking about lots of other things. With God’s help, I made a change and decided to give my mind a short vacation, and it helped a lot. Perhaps this example will help you too!

Prayer of the Day: Father, please help me keep my mind on what I am doing and remember that You want me to have peace of mind, not a busy mind!

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Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.

— Hebrews 10:23 (NIV)

One way to manage the negative emotions of discouragement and despair, which we all feel at times, is to follow the advice of today’s scripture and “hold unswervingly” to the hope we have in Christ. We hear the word hope often in secular settings, but godly hope has a different quality than worldly hope.

Many times, when people say they hope something will or will not happen, they are vaguely hoping, but clearly doubting. They speak negatively about their circumstances and then wonder why things don’t go well for them. True biblical hope is a solid foundation, a springboard for our faith to take off from and actually take hold of the promises of God. When we have godly hope, we speak and think positively, not negatively.

Prayer of the Day: God, I believe and declare that You are faithful, and I choose today to hope unswervingly in You.

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He was guilty of no sin, neither was deceit (guile) ever found on His lips. When He was reviled and insulted, He did not revile or offer insult in return; [when] He was abused and suffered, He made no threats [of vengeance]; but He trusted [Himself and everything] to Him Who judges fairly.

— 1 Peter 2:22-23 (AMPC)

One definition of charisma is “great personal magnetism; charm,” but character is “moral or ethical strength, integrity.” There are a lot of people who have charisma, but no character. We see this all the time in life.

Our character is revealed by what we do when nobody is watching. This is a key to walking in confidence with God. Many people will do the right thing when somebody is watching them, but they won’t do the right thing when nobody sees but God. As Christians, our commitment should be, “I am going to do the right thing simply because it is right.”

Character is also seen when we do the right thing to others even though the right thing is not yet happening to us. As demonstrated by Jesus, one test of our character is, will we treat somebody right who is not treating us right? Will we bless someone who is not blessing us? It all comes down to what’s in our heart, whether we trust Him who judges fairly.

Prayer of the Day: Lord Jesus, how You responded to those who reviled and mistreated You was amazing, and humbling. May Your Spirit

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The Lord is on my side, He is among those who help me; therefore I will look [in triumph] on those who hate me. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man.

— Psalm 118:7-8 (AMP)

Jesus did not enjoy the acceptance or approval of most people while He was on earth. He was despised and rejected by men. But He knew His heavenly Father loved Him. He knew who He was, and it gave Him confidence.

Everything that Jesus endured and suffered was for our sake. He went through rejection so that when we face it, we too can go through it and not be damaged by it, or if we have already been damaged, then we can completely recover.

There will always be some people who will not accept you, but their acceptance isn’t what ultimately matters. God loves you unconditionally; He approves of you and accepts you. That is all the acceptance you will ever truly need.

Prayer of the Day: Father God, thank You for loving me. Please remind me of Your love and acceptance, especially when facing rejection. Please strengthen my confidence in who I am in You, amen.

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For in posing as judge and passing sentence on another, you condemn yourself, because you who judge are habitually practicing the very same things [that you censure and denounce].

— Romans 2:1 (AMPC)

Humility is defined as “freedom from pride and arrogance…a modest estimate of one’s own worth.” In theology, it means having a consciousness of your own defects. We often judge other people because we don’t really have a conscious awareness of our own flaws. We look at everybody else through a magnifying glass, but we look at ourselves through rose-colored glasses. For others who make mistakes, “there is no excuse,” but it seems for us, there is always a reason why our behavior is acceptable.

The Bible says to humble yourselves…under the mighty hand of God (1 Peter 5:6 AMPC). Examine your own heart and actions and humble yourself before Him. God gives us an opportunity to humble ourselves, but if we refuse, He will do it for us. So, pray for God to make you aware of areas that need attention and refuse to sit in judgment on others.

Prayer of the Day: Father God, help me to always stay clear of pride and arrogance. Cause me to examine my own heart and actions, and to be aware of those areas that need attention. Help me never to sit in judgment on anyone else, amen.

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All of you must keep awake (give strict attention, be cautious and active) and watch and pray, that you may not come into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

— Matthew 26:41 (AMPC)

Fear is Satan’s way of trying to prevent us from going forward so we cannot enjoy the life Jesus died to give us. And fear attacks everyone at some time. But fears are not realities. Fears are False Evidence Appearing Real.

Fear is a force that can weaken our lives if we give in to it, but God desires to strengthen us as we fellowship with Him in prayer. Faith is released through prayer, which makes tremendous power available for our lives.

The Bible teaches us to “watch and pray.” With God’s help, we can watch ourselves and the circumstances around us and be alert to the attacks the enemy launches against our minds and emotions. When these attacks are detected, we can go to God immediately in prayer. He is our strong tower, and when we are in Him there is nothing to fear.

The best way to resist the devil is to pray. Our honest, sincere prayers draw us closer to God. And the closer we are to God, the easier it is to dismiss fear.

Prayer of the Day: Father, I want to be generous. I want to be a giver. Please cultivate in me a generous heart. Cause me to be eager to bless and serve others, amen.

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But without faith it is impossible to please and be satisfactory to Him. For whoever would come near to God must [necessarily] believe that God exists and that He is the rewarder of those who earnestly and diligently seek Him [out].

— Hebrews 11:6 (AMPC)

Faith is a powerful force that we have access to and should be very thankful for. When we live by faith, we release God to do amazing things for us and through us. Faith is the leaning of the entire human personality on God in absolute confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness (see Colossians 1:4). We can come to God in childlike faith, simply believing His Word and placing our faith in Him to do what He has promised.

Some people say that they have no faith, but that is not true. We all have faith, but we may not choose to put it in God. When you sit in a chair, you have faith that it will hold you up. When you deposit money in the bank, you have faith that you will be able to go back and get it when you need it. What, or whom, are you placing your faith in?

I urge you not to put your faith in something unstable and shaky but put it in God who is a solid Rock and never changes. He is faithful and will always do what He promises to do.

Prayer of the Day: Thank You, Father, for the way You take up residence in my heart. You are not distant or out of reach. I thank You that You dwell in me and are involved in every area of my life.

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But he who looks carefully into the faultless law, the [law] of liberty, and is faithful to it and perseveres in looking into it, being not a heedless listener who forgets but an active doer [who obeys], he shall be blessed in his doing (his life of obedience).

— James 1:25 (AMPC)

Many people agree with a sermon or a scripture, but they don’t apply it in their everyday life, so nothing changes. They think that just because they agree with the Word, it should bring change into their life.

But change doesn’t happen automatically; a person has to be a doer of the Word, not a hearer only. Jesus said, Keep awake (give strict attention, be cautious and active) and watch and pray, that you may not come into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak (Matthew 26:41 AMPC).

Every time you have an opportunity to believe God for something, you will have a temptation to give up on it. Pray that you will overcome temptation when it comes.

Prayer of the Day: Father God, please help me be a doer of Your Word and strengthen me to resist temptation and remain steadfast in faith, amen.

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Let your character or moral disposition be free from love of money [including greed, avarice, lust, and craving for earthly possessions] and be satisfied with your present [circumstances and with what you have]; for He [God] Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support….

— Hebrews 13:5 (AMPC)

I recently heard an interesting story about the difference between real and imagined problems—something that all of us have probably faced at one time or another. This story involved a man who was in his second year of Bible college. He was faced with financial challenges and couldn’t figure out how to pay his bills, support his family, and remain in school. He and his wife were expecting their second child, and because of health problems, she required total bed rest. He finally made an appointment with the financial aid office.

He nervously walked in and sat down. Then the man across the desk asked him an interesting question, “Do you need money, or do you have real problems?”

That question changed his life. Why? Because he had seen money as his biggest and most-difficult-to-solve problem. His bills and financial needs were constantly on his mind. It was as if his need for money had become the most important thing in his life.

Before this young student could say anything more, the financial counselor smiled and said, “Most of the students come in because they need money. Money becomes the center of their lives, and it steals their victory and peace.”

The student felt as if this man had been reading his mail. Until that moment, he had been one of those students the man had described. In his quest to figure out how to make ends meet, victory and peace had completely eluded him.

The wise financial counselor made some very interesting observations that day. He said, “The problem isn’t money, son, the problem is trust. We have a few financial loans we can make, but that won’t solve your problem. You see, your problem is inside your head and your heart. If you can get those things in the right order, money will no longer be the focus of your life.”

No one had ever spoken to him like that before. “Not only did the loan counselor force me to rethink my life and my priorities,” the student said, “but he pointed me in the right direction.”

The loan counselor pulled out his Bible and asked the student to read three verses that had been underlined in red and highlighted in yellow. The steps of a [good] man are directed and established by the Lord when He delights in his way [and He busies Himself with his every step]. Though he falls, he shall not be utterly cast down, for the Lord grasps his hand in support and upholds him. I have been young and now am old, yet have I not seen the [uncompromisingly] righteous forsaken or their seed begging bread (Psalm 37:23–25 AMPC).

“So, look at yourself, son,” the man said. “Are you a good man? Are you a righteous person? If you are, what does that say about you and your relationship with God?”

The student read those verses aloud twice and recognized that those words were a picture of himself. He had fallen—he had allowed himself to become discouraged—and he had been ready to give up. But he knew he was in Bible college because that’s where God wanted him to be.

As he left the financial aid office, he had received no money and no offer for aid, but he left with a lighter heart and an assurance that he would not have to leave school. He was a little slow in paying some of his bills—and a few times, he had to get an extension on paying his tuition—but he was able to stay and complete his education. Today he is in full-time pastoral ministry.

God takes great care of His own, and He will take care of you. Hebrews 13:5 offers you assurance that you don’t have to set your mind on money, wondering and worrying how you can take care of yourself. God has promised to take care of you, so what more is there to say?

Prayer of the Day: Father God, I’m ashamed that I’ve allowed money or other problems to become so important that I’ve lost my perspective. I now understand that my problem isn’t money; my problem is my lack of trust in You. As I meditate on Your promises, help me to truly believe that You will perform Your Word in my life. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray, amen.

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Listen to my cry, for I am in desperate need; rescue me from those who pursue me, for they are too strong for me.

— Psalm 142:6 (NIV)

Now that you have read portions of almost all of the Book of Psalms, I’m sure you can see that David, who wrote more psalms than anyone else, was a person through whom deep emotions ran. In many ways, David teaches us through his psalms how to manage our emotions.

In Psalm 142, David feels overwhelmed, and in our scripture for today, he cries out to God, saying that he is in desperate need. He is hiding in a cave because King Saul wants to kill him, and he knows that King Saul and his troops are too strong for him.

His response to his feelings of depression and being “wrapped in darkness” (Psalm 142:3 AMP) was not to meditate on his problem. Instead, he dealt with his problem in this psalm by choosing to cry out to the Lord, his refuge and portion in the land of the living (v. 5). In other words, he thought about the Lord, his Deliverer, and it helped him to overcome desperation.

Perhaps you are in a desperate situation today. You may feel, as David did, that your enemies are too strong for you. Your enemies may not be people; they may be situations that cause you to feel alone, overwhelmed, depressed, frustrated, or confused. Whatever your circumstances, the same God who heard David’s cry will hear you when you cry out to Him.

Prayer of the Day: Lord, teach me to manage my emotions. When my feelings are deep and intense, help me to cry out to You.

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So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me….

— Ecclesiastes 2:17 (NIV)

We can learn an important lesson about the words from today’s scripture. The writer says that he “hated life.” Have you ever heard anyone say that? Have you ever felt that way? To hear that someone hates life is very sad.

Though the phrase I hate is common, it is one we would be wise to eliminate from our speech. Hate is a strong word and a destructive force. Remember, words are powerful. To hate something fills us with negativity toward that thing, and the negativity can easily seep into our thoughts and words, poisoning other situations as well.

We all face problems and encounter circumstances we do not like. They may be merely unpleasant, or they may be terribly unjust or even tragic. Our negative feelings toward these things may cause us to say, “I hate this!” But by God’s grace, we can endure them, and we may even learn valuable lessons from them.

When you face a challenging situation or simply have a bad day, resist saying “I hate.” Instead, remind yourself to think and say by faith that you can do all things through Christ, who gives you strength (Philippians 4:13); that God’s grace is sufficient for you (2 Corinthians 12:9); and that you are more than a conqueror through Christ because He loves you (Romans 8:37).

Prayer of the Day: Father, help me to face challenges in Your strength and with a positive attitude. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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That [Spirit] is the guarantee of our inheritance [the firstfruits, the pledge and foretaste, the down payment on our heritage], in anticipation of its full redemption and our acquiring [complete] possession of it—to the praise of His glory.

— Ephesians 1:14 (AMPC)

The Holy Spirit is our guarantee of the good things that are to come. I often say, especially when I feel really filled with the Holy Spirit, “This is so good, I cannot imagine the glory of what the complete fullness will be like.” If we only experience 10 percent (a typical down payment) of what belongs to us because of our inheritance, just think of what it will be like to actually see God face to face, to have no more tears, no more sorrow, no more dying.

These thoughts leave me totally awestruck. In Ephesians 1:13–14, the Bible says that we are sealed with the Holy Spirit, and He guarantees that we will arrive safe, preserved from all destruction on the final day of deliverance from sin and all its effects. Think of the wonder of it—the Holy Spirit in us, preserving us for our final resting place, which is in not a grave but in heaven, in the presence of God. The Holy Spirit does wonderful things for us here and now. He speaks to us, leads us, helps us, teaches us, gives us counsel, empowers us to fulfill God’s exciting plans for our lives, and so much more. But no matter how wonderful our experiences with Him are in our earthly lives, they are only a foretaste of what we can look forward to. We have the down payment, but there’s more to come!

Prayer of the Day: Lord, thank You for the Holy Spirit, and the guarantee of heaven. Thank You for these glimpses of what the fullness of Your glory will be like. Help me stay to always stay excited, amen.

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O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His compassion and lovingkindness endure forever!

— Psalm 107:1 (AMPC)

To help you achieve and maintain a new level of contentment in your life, I encourage you to use some of your quiet time with God to make a list of everything you have to be thankful for. It should be a long list, one that includes little things as well as big things. Why should it be long? Because we all have a lot of things to be thankful for if we just look for them.

Get out a piece of paper and start listing things you have to be thankful for. Keep the list and add to it frequently. Make it a point to think about the things that you’re grateful for when you’re driving the kids to an activity or waiting in line at the post office or whatever you may be doing throughout the day. You can only learn the power of thankfulness by practicing it every day. Meditating on what you have to be grateful for every day and verbalizing it will be amazingly helpful to you.

Prayer of the Day: Father, thank You so much! You are only good, and I should always be mindful of the many blessings I enjoy. Please open my eyes to the good and cultivate a heart of gratitude in me on the daily, amen.

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