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

— Psalm 96:13 (NIV)

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

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

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

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

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

— Hebrews 12:11 (AMPC)

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

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

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

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

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

— Zechariah 3:1 (AMPC)

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

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

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

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

— Matthew 28:20 (NIV)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

— Exodus 14:14 (AMPC)

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

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

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

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

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

— Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV)

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

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

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

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

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

— Psalm 133:1, 3 (AMPC)

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

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

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

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

— Isaiah 26:3 (AMPC)

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

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

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

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

— Deuteronomy 30:19 (AMPC)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

— Hebrews 10:30 (NKJV)

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

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

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

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

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

— 1 Thessalonians 5:15 (AMPC)

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

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

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

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

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

— Mark 11:24 (NIV)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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For a wide door of opportunity for effectual [service] has opened to me [there, a great and promising one], and [there are] many adversaries.

— 1 Corinthians 16:9 (AMPC)

Quitting is not an option for confident people. You must decide what you want or need to do and make up your mind that you will finish your course. You will experience some opposition no matter what you attempt to do in life. Remember that the whole goal of fear is to stop you. Fear wants you to run, to withdraw, and to hide. The apostle Paul said that when doors of opportunity opened to him, opposition often came with it. Confidence believes that it can handle whatever comes its way; it doesn’t fear what has not happened yet.

The apostle Paul was given a job to do, and he was determined to do it even though he knew that it meant imprisonment and suffering. He kept his eyes on the finish line, not on what he knew he would go through. He said he wasn’t moved by the opposition, but that his goal was to finish his course with joy. Enjoyment is not possible if we are afraid all the time. Fear brings present torment concerning future situations that may not happen anyway. Paul knew that whatever did happen, God would be faithful to strengthen him so that he might patiently endure it.

Prayer of the Day: Lord, no matter what I face today, I am determined to stay the course and not retreat. Strengthen me for the battle that I might finish whatever I start, amen.

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Whoever finds his [lower] life will lose it [the higher life], and whoever loses his [lower] life on My account will find it [the higher life].

— Matthew 10:39 (AMPC)

Life is like a maze sometimes, and it is easy to get lost. Everyone, it seems, expects something different from us. There is pressure coming at us from every direction to keep others happy and meet their needs.

When we attempt to become what others want us to be, in the process, we may lose ourselves. We may fail to discover what God’s intention is for us because we are trying so hard to please everyone else and yet are not pleased ourselves.

For years I tried to be so many things that I wasn’t, and I got myself totally confused. I had to get off the merry-go-round and ask myself: “Who am I living for? Why am I doing all these things? Have I become a people-pleaser? Am I really in God’s will for my life?”

Have you also lost yourself? Are you frustrated from trying to meet all the demands of other people while feeling unfulfilled yourself? If so, you can choose to take a stand and be determined to know your identity, your direction, and your calling—God’s will for your life. You will find yourself by drawing close to God, finding His will for your life, and doing it.

Prayer of the Day: Lord, help me find my true identity and purpose in life, found only in You. Help me to not be swayed by the opinions of others and guide me in Your will for my life, amen.

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 I have fought the good and worthy and noble fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith [firmly guarding the gospel against error].

— 2 Timothy 4:7 (AMP)

One of the most important traits a Christian can have is determination. A child of God who refuses to give up is one who will enjoy victory. Jesus endured the cross for the joy of the prize awaiting Him (see Hebrews 12:2), and we should do the same thing.

Persistence is necessary, because there will be difficult times in life. Jesus never promised that when we start following Him, we’ll no longer deal with problems. Life isn’t always easy, but God is always with us. Going through challenges instead of giving up is what makes us strong.

When you feel weary, remember that God is with you and that He is the strength you need to make it through to the finish. Receive His strength now as you wait in His presence.

Prayer of the Day: Lord, please help me to be determined and persistent in following You, most especially during difficult times. Help me to receive Your strength to make it to the finish line, amen.

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 …Let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us, looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus…Just think of Him…so that you may not grow weary or exhausted, losing heart and relaxing and fainting in your minds.

— Hebrews 12:1-3 (AMPC)

It doesn’t take any special talent to give up, lie down on the side of the road of life, and say, “I quit.” Any unbeliever can do that.

But once you get hold of Jesus—or, more accurately, He gets hold of you—He begins to pump strength, energy, and courage into you, and something strange and wonderful begins to happen. He won’t let you quit!

You may say, “Oh, Lord, I don’t want to go on anymore.” But He won’t let you give up, even if you want to. So, keep looking to Jesus and follow His example. When you do, you will keep pressing on no matter what comes your way.

Prayer of the Day: Lord Jesus, please give me strength, energy, and courage to keep going even when I feel like giving up. Thank You for not letting me quit, amen.

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Either make the tree sound (healthy and good), and its fruit sound (healthy and good), or make the tree rotten (diseased and bad), and its fruit rotten (diseased and bad); for the tree is known and recognized and judged by its fruit.

— Matthew 12:33 (AMPC)

Jesus said we would be known by our fruit, which means that people can tell who we really are on the inside by what we produce with our lives and by our attitudes.

Jesus not only talked about love, but He showed love by His actions. Acts 10:38 says He got up daily and went about doing good and healing all those who were harassed and oppressed by the devil. His disciples saw Him daily helping people, listening to them, or letting His plans be interrupted in order to help someone who came to Him with a need. The disciples saw Him make sure they always had money set aside to help the poor. They also witnessed Him being quick to forgive and showing patience with the weak. He was kind, humble, and encouraging, and never gave up on anybody. Jesus did not merely talk about loving people, He showed everyone around Him how to love. Our words are important, but our actions carry more weight than our words.

The single biggest problem we have in Christianity is that we listen to people tell us what to do—and we even tell others what to do—and then we walk out of our church buildings or Bible studies and do nothing. It doesn’t matter what we think we know. The proof of what we know is in what we do.

I must constantly ask myself, “What am I doing to actually show love?” We can be deceived by knowledge, according to the apostle Paul (see 1 Corinthians 8:1). We can become blinded by the pride of what we know to the point where we can never see that we are not really practicing any of it. We should all make sure there is no gap between what we say and what we do.

Prayer of the Day: Father, please help me to trust You, not only for the things I desire but also in the process of attaining them. And teach me to maintain a positive attitude of faith, praise, thanksgiving, and positive expectation through every situation, amen.

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For as he thinks in his heart, so is he….

— Proverbs 23:7 (NKJV)

Years ago, I learned an invaluable lesson: Whatever we focus on, we become. That simple statement taught me a great deal. Wherever we put our energies or our attention, those things will develop. Another way I like to say it is, “Where the mind goes, the man follows!”

If I begin to think about ice cream, I will soon find myself in my car pursuing ice cream. My thought will stir my desires and emotions, and I will make the decision to follow them.

If we focus only on the negative things in our lives, we become negative people. Everything, including our conversation, becomes negative. We soon lose our joy and live miserable lives—and it all started with our own thinking.

You might be experiencing some problems in life—not realizing that you are creating them yourself by what you’re choosing to think about. I challenge you to think about what you’re thinking about!

You might be discouraged and even depressed and wonder what caused it. Yet if you examine your thought life, you will find that you are feeding the negative emotions you are feeling. Negative thoughts are fuel for discouragement, depression, and many other unpleasant emotions.

We should choose our thoughts carefully. We can think about what is wrong with our lives or about what is right with them. We can think about what is wrong with all the people we are in relationship with, or we can see the good and meditate on that. The Bible teaches us to always believe the best. When we do that, it makes our own lives happier and more peaceful.

I have a great life—and a loving husband and children. And I am privileged to be used by God to bless millions of people around the world through the wonderful ministry He has given me. But life isn’t perfect, and if I had allowed the devil to fill my mind with negative thoughts—as he once did long ago—I would have been defeated.

I want to focus on God’s grace and give thanks for all the good things in my life. I don’t want to focus on what I don’t have.

An old friend used to quote this saying: “As you wander on through life, brother, whatever be your goal, keep your eye upon the donut and not upon the hole.” Too many people focus on what’s not there and what’s not right.

All of this is to say that our thoughts largely determine our destiny. Our thoughts also determine our happiness. That is why Proverbs 23:7—today’s scripture—is one of my favorite verses. Thoughts are powerful. They aren’t just words that flow through our minds. So, it is very important for us to decide what we will allow to rest inside our minds.

We must not forget that the mind is a battlefield. We must always remember that our adversary will use it in any way he possibly can to trap us.

We can’t have a positive life and a negative mind. Our thoughts—our focus—is what determines where we end up.

Jesus, our friend and Savior, wants our minds to be filled with positive, beautiful, and healthy thoughts. The more we focus on those things, the more readily we defeat Satan’s attacks.

Prayer of the Day: God, I ask You to forgive me for focusing my thoughts on things that are not pleasing to You. I pray that You will help me fill my mind with thoughts that are clean and pure and uplifting. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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I will clothe his enemies with shame, but his head will be adorned with a radiant crown.

— Psalm 132:18 (NIV)

Today’s scripture gives us the impression that the psalmist Asaph isn’t having a very good day, and that’s okay. Every day of life isn’t perfect, and there are times when it is good to be honest with God or someone else about the way you feel. Most of the time, if one Christian asks another how they are, the answer is “Fine,” but they are not always fine. They say they are fine, because they think they are expected, as Christians, to be fine all the time. Asaph felt as though God was rejecting him forever and that He was angry with him, and he wrote about it.

We should not complain constantly, but there is a way to be honest about how we are feeling without being negative. Trust God always, but don’t be phony or pretend to be fine when the truth is that you aren’t fine at all.

Sometimes the best way to rid yourself of negative feelings is to talk them out. The psalmist David did this regularly with God, and it was okay. He was also a man of great faith. Don’t feel that you always have to be fine, marvelous, amazing, and wonderful, or that you cannot admit when you are having a rough time and your emotions are not joyful. Even Jesus said, My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? (Matthew 27:46 NIV). He also said, Into your hands I commit my spirit (Luke 23:46 NIV). Even though He felt forsaken, He knew that He wasn’t.

Prayer of the Day: Father, I am grateful that I can always be honest with You about how I feel, yet at the same time never stop trusting You. Help me to be honest with myself about my emotions, amen.

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 …But we have the mind of Christ (the Messiah) and do hold the thoughts (feelings and purposes) of His heart.

— 1 Corinthians 2:16 (AMPC)

When we invite Jesus to come into our hearts, the Holy Spirit makes His home in us. From that position in our hearts, which are the very centers of our beings, the Holy Spirit begins a purifying work in our souls (our minds, wills, and emotions). Our minds tell us what we think, not what God thinks. The Holy Spirit is working in us to change that. We have to learn how to think in agreement with God, how to be vessels for God to think through. Old thoughts must be purified from us, and new thoughts—thoughts from God—must become part of our thinking. Our emotions tell us how we feel, not how God feels about situations, people, and the decisions we make. According to Psalm 7:9, God tests and tries our emotions. He works with us until we are not moved by human emotion alone, but by His Spirit.

Our wills tell us what we want, not what God wants. The will overrides emotions and even thoughts. We can use it to do the right thing even when we don’t feel like doing them. We have a free will, and God will not force us to do anything. He leads us by His Spirit into what He knows will be good for us, but the final decisions are ours to make. God wants us to regularly make decisions that are in agreement with His will, not our wills. As these three areas of our lives—mind, will, and emotions—come under the lordship of Jesus Christ and the leadership of the Holy Spirit, we will become increasingly mature as believers.

Prayer of the Day: Lord, please help me to surrender my mind, will, and emotions to You. Show me how to allow Your Holy Spirit to purify me and guide me into Your will, amen.

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