At all times and for everything giving thanks in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father.

— Ephesians 5:20 (AMPC)

A thankful person is a happy person! If we want to increase our joy, all we really need to do is think more about what we have to be grateful for. Sadly, it is easy to fall into the habit of thinking about what we want, what we don’t have, or what other people have that we wish we had. But that doesn’t please God, and it steals our joy.

God’s Word teaches that we should be anxious for nothing, and to pray about everything, with thanksgiving (see Philippians 4:6). I doubt that God has any interest in giving us more if we are already complaining about what we have or don’t have. It seems to me that the more thankful and appreciative we are for what God has already done for us, the more He would be inclined to do. Think of five things today you have to be thankful for and voice your gratitude to God.

Prayer Starter: Father, I am sorry for the times I’ve complained about my life. I am blessed, and I ask You to help me remember how good You are to me at all times. Thank You! In Jesus’ name, amen.

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I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.

— Psalm 34:1 (NKJV)

It is good to have love for God in your heart, but even better to express it with the words of your mouth. Tell God several times each day that you love Him; say with the psalmist David: ” I love You fervently and devotedly, O Lord my Strength” (Ps. 18:1). It isn’t good enough to merely think, “God knows how I feel.” Are you blessed when people tell you they love and appreciate you? Of course you are, and it blesses God when we verbalize our love and praise for Him. Verbal expression of love and gratitude improves all our relationships, including our relationship with God.

Don’t offer your petitions to God without telling Him how grateful you are for what He has already done for you. As parents we are more likely to answer the request of a thankful child than we are a grouchy and ungrateful one. As an employer I want to do even more for employees who are appreciative. Offering our continual gratitude to God for His goodness and mercy in our lives moves Him to want to do even more for us. Our gratitude shows God that we are mature enough to handle even more blessing and responsibility.

Women often say, “I know my husband loves me, but I wish he would tell me more often.” Let’s try to be more diligent in telling God and the people in our lives that we love and appreciate them and what they mean to us.

Prayer Starter: Lord, I thank You and praise You for all the wonderful things you have done for me and are doing right now. I love You and I’m so grateful for You. In Jesus’ name, amen!

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He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.

— Psalm 147:3 (AMPC)

Those who are brokenhearted are broken in their personality. They are unable to function properly because of their wounds. They have been deeply hurt and are unable to move beyond their past pain.

It is important that we don’t merely park at the point of our pain and remain there for the rest of our lives. God is the author of new beginnings, and whether we are wounded due our own sin, or because of the sin of others who have harmed us, we are the only ones who can decide whether to move on or stay parked. Take your life out of park and start moving forward toward the great future God has arranged for you.

The apostle Paul is a great example of someone who kept shaking off the past and pressing forward. He moved past his own sin, past the persecution he received from others as his reward for simply trying to help them, past unfair imprisonment, beatings, abandonment, and many other painful things. He also moved past his own imperfections in his daily walk with God and said that letting go of what was behind was his determined purpose in life.

When we are hurting, moving forward isn’t always easy because our mind and emotions are telling us to just give up. Although change isn’t easy and is often painful, we have only two choices— to endure the pain of change or to endure the pain of never changing. It is easy to see which choice makes the most sense. If there will be pain either way, why not choose the pain of progress?

To keep going forward in the midst of personal pain takes a lot of courage. You may not even want to get out of bed in the morning, let alone be active and do what life requires that day, but if you live by wise choices rather than by your feelings, you can do it.

I vividly remember my father repeatedly telling me, “You will never amount to anything,” but with God’s help, I overcame his negative words. If those who should have affirmed you tore you down with their words, you too can overcome their words by seeing what God says about you and meditating on His words instead. God says many wonderful things about you, things such as: You are fearfully and wonderfully made (Ps. 139:14). You are loved unconditionally (Jer. 31:3) and accepted (John 6:37). You are precious and honored in His sight (Isa. 43:4). His Word includes many similar truths that will build you up and renew your mind so you can think about yourself and your life the way God wants you to.

Don’t settle for less than the best life that God wants to give you. Perhaps you are facing a time of testing in your life right now, and the temptation to quit and give up is strong. Know this: You have what it takes to go through it and experience victory on the other side.

It’s not too late! I’m sure the devil has told you the lie that it is too late for you. However, it is never too late for God to heal and restore anyone who truly wants Him to.

Prayer Starter: Father, in the Name of Jesus, I declare that I will overcome every accusation of the enemy by the Blood of Jesus and the Word of my testimony. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve.

— Joshua 24:15 (AMPC)

The first step in doing anything is choosing to do it. In order to encourage someone, you first choose to look for the best. In order to be at peace, you first choose not to worry. In order to start some- thing new, you first choose to step out and go for it.

You may not know how it’s all going to work out, but you can make some foundational choices today. Begin by saying, Today I choose peace over fear! Today I choose to break that old habit and start a good one! Today I choose not to lash out in anger! Today I choose not to live in the past!

Make a choice, take a step, and never forget to ask for God’s help (His grace) in executing your choice. We can do all things with and through Him, but we can do nothing without Him (see Philippians 4:13).

Prayer Starter: Lord Jesus, I know I can’t always choose what happens around me, but I can choose how to respond. Help me to always respond the way You would have me respond. In Your precious name I pray, amen!

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And become useful and helpful and kind to one another, tenderhearted . . . forgiving one another [readily and freely], as God in Christ forgave you.

— Ephesians 4:32 (AMPC)

The Bible teaches us to forgive “readily and freely.” That is God’s standard for us, no matter how we feel about it. We are to be quick to forgive.

According to 1 Peter 5:5, we can clothe ourselves with the character of Jesus Christ, meaning that we can choose to be long-suffering, patient, not easily offended, slow to anger, quick to forgive, and filled with mercy. My definition of “mercy” is to look beyond what is done to me that hurts and discover the reason why it was done. Many times, people do things even they don’t understand themselves, but there is always a reason why people behave as they do. Perhaps they are hurting and in their own pain they don’t even realize they are hurting someone else.

God forgives! We are to be merciful and forgiving, just as God in Christ forgives us our wrongdoing. He not only sees what we do that is wrong, but He understands why we did it, and is merciful and long-suffering. The choice to forgive others is ours. God will not force anyone to do it. Even if you don’t understand it, believe that God’s way is the best. It works. He can take what Satan meant to destroy you and turn it for your good.

Prayer Starter: Father, help me to try to control my anger and forgive quickly. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, he who rules his [own] spirit than he who takes a city.

— Proverbs 16:32 (AMPC)

This verse illustrates the power of controlling your anger. God gave us self-control (see Galatians 5:23) to monitor our mouths, thoughts, passions, emotions, and tempers, yet many people don’t know that controlling their emotions is an option. They think the way they feel must dictate their actions. When they get mad, they let the feeling of anger decide how long they will stay angry, and all the while it is stealing their joy from them. In Scripture, we read about Absalom, who held on to his anger for two years, allowing it to build until he ended up killing his own brother (see 2 Samuel 13). 

You need to know that with God’s help, you can get over your anger. Study the Word about anger and the importance of forgiving those who hurt you and pray and ask God to give you grace and strength to forgive (see 2 Corinthians 12:9). Don’t let anger shut down the power of God in your life. 

Power Thought: I forgive quickly and never allow emotion to rule my actions.

Prayer Starter: Father, help me get control over my anger and lean on You and Your Word, amen.

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For this I labor [unto weariness], striving with all the superhuman energy which He so mightily enkindles and works within me.

— Colossians 1:29 (AMPC)

Fear, anger, doubt, guilt—these are just a few of the many emotions we dwell on that are wasted energy. You may feel these from time to time, but you don’t have to hold on to them. Instead, you can use your energy to cast every care on God and live free from these wasted emotions. Here are a few ways to do that:

• If someone hurts your feelings or disappoints you, choose to forgive instead of getting angry.
• Don’t waste your energy worrying, because it doesn’t do any good anyway.
• When you repent, receive your forgiveness, and be thankful that you don’t have to live in guilt.
• If someone doesn’t like you, pray for that person. The real problem may be that the person doesn’t like him or herself.

Don’t waste any more time and energy on these emotions. Learn to manage your anger, your fear, your doubts and your guilt and live in the freedom of God’s love for you.

Prayer Starter: Father, help me make the necessary changes in order to find more freedom from the stress of being controlled by my emotions! In Jesus’ name, amen.

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As for me, I will continue beholding Your face in righteousness (rightness, justice, and right standing with You); I shall be fully satisfied, when I awake [to find myself] beholding Your form [and having sweet communion with You].

— Psalm 17:15 (AMPC)

Each evening the sun sets on all of our problems and on all of the mistakes we made that day. But something marvelous happens to us as we sleep—the Lord gives us rest physically, mentally, and emotionally. We are renewed and rejuvenated to face the next day.

Today we may wake up with the same problems we had when we went to bed, problems that yesterday we felt we just couldn’t take anymore. But somehow today, after proper rest and sleep, we think, I can do it; I can face it again. God promises to renew our strength when we rest in Him.

Prayer Starter: Lord, help me to turn all my troubles over to You so that I can rest physically and emotionally. I know You are working on my behalf, amen.

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Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding.

— Proverbs 3:5 (AMPC)

Do you know that you can feel tired and worn-out from thinking too much? Mental tiredness is just as real as physical fatigue. Our minds need to rest, just as our bodies do. God’s Word encourages us not to be excessive in reasoning. Thinking about things is good and valuable, but moving into worry, anxiety, or merely relying on our own reasoning will exhaust us.

When I return from a conference where I have been studying and teaching for two or three days, I am tired not only physically but mentally and emotionally as well. I have learned to let my mind rest after working hard and not to try to make important decisions or engage in discussions that require deep thought.

The things that you need to think about will still be around tomorrow, so don’t hesitate to take a mental rest when you need one. Instead of trying to solve a problem today, why not have some fun and find something humorous that will give you a good laugh? Giving your mind a break may refresh you more than you think.

Prayer Starter: Father, help me get the rest I need in all areas of my life, especially in my mind. I love and appreciate You, Lord. Thank You for all that You do for me. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him.

— Psalm 62:5 (ESV)

My favorite part of the day is early in the morning when I get up before anyone else and the house is totally silent. I spend that time with God, and I find that the silence strengthens me and helps me get focused for the day. I spend some time just sitting and enjoying it.

Our world today is very noisy, busy, and at times stressful. When you feel stressed or frustrated, go somewhere that is silent and just enjoy it for a few minutes; I believe you will find that your soul begins to calm down. Inner peace and quiet are vital for hearing from God or sensing the direction He wants us to take.

Outer silence helps promote inner silence. Learn to love silence and you will be more inclined to hear the still, small voice of God. At a time when Elijah desperately needed to receive direction from God, he had to wait until all the noise passed, and only when he was in a gentle stillness did he hear the still, small voice of God speaking to him (see 1 Kings 19:11–12).

Prayer Starter: Father, help me learn to love the silence so I can hear Your voice and sense Your presence. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Do not be quick in spirit to be angry or vexed, for anger and vexation lodge in the bosom of fools.

— Ecclesiastes 7:9 (AMPC)

There are some things you can control in life—who your friends are, what you eat, and when you go to bed, for example. There are other things you can’t control, such as what other people say or the flat tire you got last night. The way you respond to things you can’t control helps determine your stress level and your quality of life and health. I have two suggestions about dealing with things you can’t control. First, if you can’t control them, don’t take responsibility for them. And sec¬ond, I like to say, “Do your best, pray, and let God do the rest!”

People who regularly get upset over small things suffer in many ways. People who shrug them off do much better. Shrugging off cer¬tain things doesn’t mean you are indifferent; it simply means you’ve accepted the fact that you can’t do anything to change them at that time. The flat tire has already happened. Calling someone to come fix it makes sense, throwing a tantrum and kicking the tire does not. We need to deal appropriately with each stressor as it arises so that we don’t end up exploding in frustration over the unavoidable bumps on the road of life.

God works in mysterious ways. You never know when He may use some inconvenience or frustration for your good. He is in control, and if you trust Him to work things out, you’ll be able to ride the ups and downs of life with peace, joy, and strength.

Prayer Starter: Lord, help shrug off the things I cannot change, and always look to you in every situation. I refuse to live in frustration, amen!

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The Lord has heard my supplication; the Lord receives my prayer.

— Psalm 6:9 (AMPC)

Every believer is called to talk to God and listen to His voice through prayer, but not everyone is called into the spiritual office of an intercessor. For example, I believe God has called Dave as an intercessor for America. He seems to have an “official” assignment from the Lord to pray for our country, a true burden for national issues and affairs, a longing to see revival in our land, and a deep, sustained interest in the things that concern the United States. He diligently studies American history and stays informed about what is going on in the government of our country. There is also an unusual fervor that accompanies his prayers. That’s what I mean by a person who functions in the office of an intercessor.

Since 1997, I have watched Dave pray and cry and bombard heaven on behalf of the United States. I do not weep over our nation the way he does, but that does not mean I do not care or that I do not pray for our leaders. It simply means that I cannot force myself to have Dave’s passion, because that passion is God-given. It also means that God is using Dave and me as a team; He has Dave playing one position and me playing another one. If I start to wonder what is wrong with me because I do not intercede the way Dave does, I end up under condemnation— and that will keep me from fulfilling what God has called me to do. But, if I stay confident in my position and focus on being excellent in it, our team wins every time. God does not assign everything to everyone. The Holy Spirit divides things up the way He sees fit and all we need to do is our part.

Prayer Starter: Father, direct me in the way I should go and give me whatever it takes to go the extra mile. In Jesus’ name, amen!

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So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

— Matthew 6:34 (AMP)

The best way to face challenges is to deal with them one day at a time. Looking too far down the road only tends to overwhelm us. Trusting God requires that we believe He gives us our “daily bread”—that is, we receive what we need as we need it and usually not before.

Sometimes challenges can seem impossible and overwhelming, but God is always with us. We just need to be courageous and receive the strength He gives us. Remember that God will give you the grace to do what you need to do today, so it’s important to focus on living in the moment rather than worrying about tomorrow.

Whatever you need to do—getting out of debt, solving a marriage problem, organizing your home, completing a project—you can do it with God’s help, one day at a time.

Prayer Starter: Father, thank You for helping me through this day. Thank You for making me equal to any task and for the strength I need to do whatever I need to do, amen!

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For even to this were you called [it is inseparable from your vocation]. For Christ also suffered for you, leaving you [His personal] example, so that you should follow in His footsteps.

— 1 Peter 2:21 (AMPC)

Instead of the walls that I used to build around my life, I have learned to build bridges. By the power of grace and God’s forgiveness, all the difficult and unfair things that happened to me in life have been turned into highways over which others can pass to find the same liberty that I found.

God is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34). What He has done for me, He will do for you too. As you draw closer to God on a daily basis, you can discover the same freedom that I have found, and you can become a bridge for others to pass over, instead of a wall that shuts them out.

Jesus pioneered a pathway to God for us. He became a highway for us to pass over. He sacrificed Himself for us, and now that we are benefiting from His sacrifice, He is giving us a chance to sacrifice for others so they can reap the same benefits we enjoy.

Instead of shutting people out, I suggest that you ask God to allow you to see them as He sees them. Love them, forgive them, and point them to God so He can heal their wounds and fill them with His peace and joy.

Prayer Starter: Father, thank You for Your perfect peace. Because of Your great love for me, Your Word promises me that I can live in peace and free from stress, anxiety, frustration, bitterness, strife, and offense! Help me be a bridge that brings more people to You. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.

— Isaiah 41:10 (NLT)

No matter what your fear is, God’s Word says you are not to fear because He is with you. It is just that simple. I am sure the question comes to mind: If God is with me, why do bad things happen? God never promises us trouble-free lives, but He does promise us His presence and the strength (mental, physical, and emotional) we need to get through our troubles.

Whatever the problem is, you can be assured it will pass, God will be with you all the way through it, and you will be stronger and know God better when it is over than before it began.

Prayer Starter: Father, thank you for being with me at all times. I will not fear with you always by my side! In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.

— Philippians 1:27 (NIV)

I know people who have been sick for an extended period of time and have the most beautiful attitudes. They never complain, are not grouchy, don’t act as if the world owes them something, and they don’t blame God or even feel sorry for themselves. But I also know people with the same circumstances who talk only about their illnesses, medical appointments, and how hard it all is for them. They are easily offended, bitter, and resentful. Every situation in life requires making a decision about how we are going to respond, and if we respond the way God would, then our trials will be much easier to handle.

Perhaps you have never thought about how important it is to manage your emotions during the tougher times. Most of us think, I can’t help how I act right now; I am having a hard time, and that is all there is to it. That is a normal human reaction, but with God on our side helping us, we don’t have to behave the way a “normal” person would. Satan is our enemy, and his goal is to get us so emotionally rattled that we say things that will provide him with an opening into our lives. Or he hopes we will make unwise decisions during painful times and create messes that we will have to deal with for a long, long time afterward.

I have believed for years that if I can hold my tongue and remain emotionally stable during times of difficulty, then I am honoring God and letting the devil know he is not going to control me. I’m not always successful, but I’m certainly a lot better than I once was. As I often say, “I am not where I need to be, but thank God I am not where I used to be.” I am still growing, but at least I’ve learned the importance of managing my emotions. There is no doubt it is more difficult to manage your emotions when you’re sick or going through a crisis, but hopefully you are learning it is possible.

Prayer Starter: Lord Jesus, I don’t want my circumstances to defeat me. Help me to manage my emotions. Help me trust You and know that your grace is sufficient to meet all of my needs, amen.

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 [Righteousness, standing acceptable to God] will be granted and credited to us also who believe in (trust in, adhere to, and rely on) God, Who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.

— Romans 4:24 (AMPC)

It is an awe-inspiring thing to realize you are in right standing with God simply because you believe in Him. Because Jesus who knew no sin became sin, you are the righteousness of God. What a thrilling and humbling thought.

But the devil doesn’t want you to walk in the wonderful thrill of that reality. He wants to bring up all your faults and distract you from the joy of righteousness Jesus died to give you.

Don’t let the devil steal the thrill of your righteousness through Christ. As you prepare for a night of rest, spend a few quiet moments thinking about that matchless gift, and worship and praise the One who made it all possible.

Prayer Starter: Lord Jesus, I thank You for going to the cross so that I can be in right standing with You. Help me fight against the enemy’s lies. In Your precious Name I pray, amen!

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A glad heart makes a cheerful countenance, but by sorrow of heart the spirit is broken.

— Proverbs 15:13 (AMPC)

Difficulty is never enjoyable, but right thinking in the midst of it will cheer us up. Even though we have trials, we can face them with courage, being confident of God’s love and His promise to help us. It seems to me that joy and happiness come more from what we believe than from what is happening to us.

Would you be willing to make some changes in your approach to life and even develop some new habits if it would enable you to have more joy and enjoyment?

Perhaps if we studied the habits and attitudes of happy people, we would be able to see some of the things we might need to change if we truly want to be happy. If we value joy, then we cannot just passively sit and wish to be happy; we can aggressively pursue it and be willing to make adjustments where they are needed.

Prayer Starter: Father, help me make the necessary changes in order to find more joy and enjoyment! In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Blessed (enjoying enviable happiness, spiritually prosperous—with life-joy and satisfaction in God’s favor and salvation, regardless of their outward conditions) are the makers and mountaineers of peace, for they shall be called the sons of God!

— Matthew 5:9 (AMPC)

Pursuing peace means making an effort. We cannot maintain peace simply by our own fleshly efforts; we need God’s help, and we need grace, which is His power assisting us and enabling us to do what needs to be done. 

The efforts we make must be in Christ. Too often we just try to do what is right without asking for God’s help, and that type of fleshly effort never produces good fruit. The Bible calls this a “work of the flesh.” It is man’s effort trying to do God’s job. 

What I am saying is, be sure you lean on God and ask for His help. 

When you succeed, give Him the credit, the honor, and the glory because success is impossible without Him.

Jesus said, Apart from Me [cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing (John 15:5). It takes most of us a long time to believe this Scripture enough to stop trying to do things on our own, without leaning on God. We try and fail, try and fail; it happens over and over until we finally wear ourselves out and realize that God Himself is our strength, our success, and our victory. He doesn’t just give us strength—He is our strength. He does not just give us the victory—He is our victory. Yes, we make efforts to keep peace, but we dare not make efforts without depending on God’s power to flow through us; failure is certain if we do. 

The Lord blesses peacemakers, those who work for and make peace. Peacemakers are committed to peace—they crave peace, pursue peace, and go after it. They don’t just hope or wish for it, they don’t just pray for it. They aggressively pursue it in the power of God. Make a commitment to pursue peace from this day forward. 

Prayer Starter: Lord Jesus, I trust you to make me a peacemaker—one who works for and pursues peace with You, myself, and others. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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