I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency].

— Philippians 4:13 (AMPC)

Dread is a relative of fear. The devil tempts us with dread to get us to confess fear instead of faith. But 1 John 4:18 (AMPC) says, There is no fear in love [dread does not exist], but full-grown (complete, perfect) love turns fear out of doors and expels every trace of terror! For fear brings with it the thought of punishment, and [so] he who is afraid has not reached the full maturity of love [is not yet grown into love’s complete perfection].

Enjoy your day, knowing that God loves you perfectly. Don’t dread the hard things that you must do today, because God is on your side and is ready to help you.

Prayer Starter: God, as hard as it may be, as much as it hurts, help me tackle the things I’m dreading and putting off, amen.

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When you bear (produce) much fruit, My Father is honored and glorified, and you show and prove yourselves to be true followers of Mine.

— John 15:8 (AMPC)

Our lives are not given to us for us to waste them. God desires that we bear good fruit on a regular basis. Doing good, being creative, helping others, accomplishing goals, and other such things gives me a feeling of accomplishment, and I must admit that it feels really good. On the other hand, when I waste a day doing nothing, feeling sorry for myself, being angry or lazy, that doesn’t feel good.

I am not suggesting that we need to spend all our time working, but we should be productive on a regular basis. Praying for others as we go about our day is productive. Being friendly and encouraging others is a simple way to bear good fruit.

I remember once, several years ago, going to visit my mother in the hospital, and when I got there a young woman was in her room administering a heart test. She had lovely skin and hair and a beautiful smile. She was also very kind. Instead of just thinking these things, I told her that she was really pretty. The look on her face let me know that she didn’t hear it nearly often enough and that it made her feel really good.

It is easy to focus on people’s flaws and totally miss the good things about them, but we don’t have to be like that if we purpose to bear good fruit by making a big deal out of each good thing we notice about people. You and I have the power to make someone else’s day awesome by being God’s voice and letting them hear through us the good things He sees in them. Make today and every day a special day by bearing good fruit that will honor God.

Prayer Starter: Father, I love You very much. I want to bear good fruit and I need Your help in this, as I do in everything else in my life. I lean and rely on You to help me see various ways that I can make this day and every day fruitful!

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Rejoice in the Lord always [delight, gladden yourselves in Him]; again I say, Rejoice!

— Philippians 4:4 (AMPC)

Many serious things are going on in this world, and we need to be aware of them and prepared for them. But at the same time, because of the Spirit of God in our lives, we can learn to relax and take things as they come without getting nervous and upset about them.

Thankfully, with God’s help, we can learn how to enjoy the good life He has provided for us through the death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ. Twice in Philippians 4:4–7, the apostle Paul tells us to rejoice. He urges us not to fret or have any anxiety about anything but to pray and give thanks to God in everything—not after every difficulty is over.

In spite of all the troubling things going on around us in the world, our daily confession can be, “This is the day the Lord has made; I will rejoice and be glad in it.”

Prayer Starter: Father, no matter what goes on around me today, I thank You that I can rejoice and be glad. Thank You that my joy is not found in my circumstances—my joy is found in You.

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Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his hours…he got down upon his knees three times a day prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously.

— Daniel 6:10 (AMPC)

Giving thanks is so important to being able to hear God’s voice because, like praise and worship, it is something God responds to. It’s something God loves, something that warms His heart. Any time we give God pleasure like that, our intimacy with Him increases—and that makes for a better relationship with Him.

Also, when we are thankful, we are in a position to receive more from the Lord. If we are not thankful for what we have, why should He give us something else to murmur about? On the other hand, when God sees that we genuinely appreciate and are thankful for the big and little things, He is inclined to bless us even more. According to Philippians 4:6, everything we ask God for should be preceded and accompanied by thanksgiving—we should pray with a thankful heart for what we already have and thank Him in advance for hearing and answering our prayers! No matter what we pray for, thanksgiving should always go with it. A good habit to develop is starting all our prayers with thanksgiving. An example of this would be: “Thank You for all You have done in my life, You are awesome and I really love and appreciate You.”

I encourage you to examine your life, to pay attention to your thoughts and your words, and see how much thanksgiving you express. Do you grumble and complain about things? Or are you thankful? If you want a challenge, just try to get through an entire day without uttering one word of complaint. Develop an attitude of thanksgiving in every situation. In fact, just become outrageously thankful—and watch as your intimacy with God increases and as He pours out greater blessings than ever before.

Prayer Starter: Lord, thank you for the way You lead me when I pray. Help me to remember to thank You first before I do anything else. Let thankfulness be the basis of my prayer life. I choose right now to put replace complaining with gratitude.

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I press on toward the goal to win the [heavenly] prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

— Philippians 3:14 (AMP)

Setting daily goals helps you see certain dreams come true. That’s because dreams are realized one step at a time, one decision at a time, one goal at a time.

Goals are essential if you want to be successful in life. It is pointless and even frustrating to have a big dream for your future, or even a small plan for the day, without setting goals on how you expect to see those things come true.

When you have a goal and move with a purpose, good things will happen for you. You may not know how everything is going to work out. You may not have all the answers for the day ahead. But if you set a goal (or two, or three), you’ll be amazed at how helpful it can be in improving your outlook for the day ahead.

Whether you’re a stay-at-home parent, a full-time employee, a student, a business owner, or a volunteer, goal setting can help you feel more enthusiastic and joyful about your day ahead.

Prayer Starter: Father, thank You for loving me. I want to feel more enthusiastic and joyful about my day ahead. Please help me make realistic goals today that I can meet, with Your help, amen.

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For we [Christians] are the true circumcision, who worship God in spirit and by the Spirit of God and exult and glory and pride ourselves in Jesus Christ, and put no confidence or dependence [on what we are] in the flesh and on outward privileges and physical advantages and external appearances.

— Philippians 3:3 (AMPC)

God is merciful toward us and wants to bless and prosper us. He sees our heart attitude and our faith in Jesus. When we have confidence in God and His love and kindness, we can progress to living confidently and enjoying the life He wants for us. Note that I said confidence in God, not in ourselves. Usually, people think of confidence as self-confidence, such as TV self-help gurus or athletes promote when urging us to “Believe in yourself!”

I beg to differ. I want to make it clear, right from the start, that our confidence must be in Christ alone, not in ourselves, not in other people, not in the world or its systems. The Bible states that we are sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency (see Philippians 4:13), so we might also say that we are confident through Christ’s confidence. Or another way to say it would be, “We have self-confidence only because He lives in us, and it is His confidence that we draw on.”

Prayer Starter: Lord, I know that far too often I put my confidence in my own abilities, or other people, or the place I work to provide for my needs. I fix my eyes upon You. You alone are worthy of being my confidence, amen.

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And become useful and helpful and kind to one another, tenderhearted (compassionate, understanding, loving-hearted), forgiving one another [readily and freely], as God in Christ forgave you.

— Ephesians 4:32 (AMPC)

I once heard that medical studies indicate 75 percent of physical sickness is caused by emotional problems. And one of the greatest emotional problems people experience is guilt. They are refusing to relax and enjoy life because, after all, they feel they don’t deserve to have a good time. So, they live in a perpetual strain of regret and remorse. This kind of stress often makes people sick.

Two of the things that cause us to get all knotted up inside are meditating on all the negative things done to us by others, and the sinful and wrong things we have done. We have a hard time getting over what others have done to us, and we find it difficult to forget the mistakes we have made.

In my own life I had a choice to remain bitter, full of hatred and self-pity, resenting the people who had hurt me, or I could choose to follow God’s path of forgiveness. This is the same choice you have today. I pray that you will forgive others and receive God’s forgiveness for yourself. You will be healthier and happier if you do!

Prayer Starter: Lord, I know that Your way is forgiveness, so please help me to forgive others, forgive myself, and receive Your forgiveness once and for all.

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— Daniel 9:9 (AMPC)

There are many instances in the Old Testament of God’s anger when His people, the Israelites, would complain, disobey, and worship idols and false gods. But the amazing thing is how quickly God completely forgave them—He restored all of His benefits to them as soon as they turned back to Him.

Perhaps today you feel that God is angry with you. He is not! God is ready and willing to forgive your sins. He understands your weaknesses. He knows that we all, at times, succumb to temptations and wrong behavior, but He is a compassionate, loving Father who has provided for our forgiveness in Christ. All we need to do is ask and receive!

The very fact that we cannot do everything right is why God sent Jesus to pay the price for our redemption. God is not angry with you. Choose to accept and walk in His forgiveness today!

Prayer Starter: Lord, thank you for forgiving me and help me accept and walk in Your forgiveness today.

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So do not worry or be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will have worries and anxieties of its own. Sufficient for each day is its own trouble.

— Matthew 6:34 (AMPC)

Every believer has the responsibility to live right, to be a doer of the Word, and not just a hearer. Motivated by the reverential fear of the Lord, we can learn to live carefully and begin to make a difference in the world we live in. You and I need to be careful about what we allow into our spirits and how we live our lives. Proverbs 4:23 says to guard our heart with all diligence because out of it flows the springs of life. I believe we should have a careful attitude about how we live not a casual or a careless one. We need to be careful about what we watch, what we listen to, what we think about, and who our friends are.

I’m not saying we need to live according to the strict and demanding dictates of man. I had a very legalistic relationship with God for years and was miserable, so the last thing I want to do is teach legalism. What I am saying is that we shouldn’t compromise. We should recognize our responsibility as Christians to live our lives in such a way that unbelievers will be attracted to God by our behavior.

James 4:17 (AMPC) says, …any person who knows what is right to do but does not do it, to him it is sin. In other words, if we are convicted that something is wrong, then we must not do it—even if we see a hundred other people doing it and getting by with it. They may seem to be getting by with it, but sooner or later, we will all reap what we sow.

We know that worry and anxiety are not characteristics of a godly Christian. Yet so many Christians worry. You can choose to worry, or you can reject worry and choose to live with joy and peace. Most people don’t want to hear that message, and they seem to find an odd comfort in thinking that worrying is beyond their control. It is not. Worry is a really is a choice and it is a sin against God.

As long as I’ve been in the church, I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone make that statement. But it is sin. It is calling God a liar. It is saying that God is not sufficiently able to take care of you and provide for your needs. Faith says, “God can do it.” Worry says, “God isn’t able to help me.”

When you worry, you not only call God a liar, but you have also allowed the devil to fill your mind with anxious thoughts. The more you focus on the problems, the larger they become. You start to fret and may even end up in despair.

Think of the words of the great apostle: I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency] (Philippians 4:13 AMPC) Or think of the words from the psalmist: Commit your way to the Lord [roll and repose each care of your load on Him]; trust (lean on, rely on, and be confident) also in Him and He will bring it to pass (Psalm 37:5 AMPC).

Jesus told His disciples not to be anxious and, as quoted above, not to worry about tomorrow. But He did more than teach those words; He lived them out: And Jesus replied to him, Foxes have holes and the birds of the air have lodging places, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head (Matthew 8:20 AMPC). That wasn’t a complaint but a simple fact of life. Jesus trusted His Father’s provision for Him even when He didn’t know where He would sleep or what He would eat.

Jesus taught that we are not to worry about anything in life. He wasn’t speaking about planning and thinking ahead. He was saying that some people never act because fear holds them back. They can always tell you ten things that can go wrong with every plan. Jesus wants us to live a stress-free life. If you are worrying about what might happen, you’re hindering God from working in your life.

I heard about a couple whose daughter was diagnosed with a serious illness that wasn’t covered by insurance. The parents were struggling to pay all the medical bills. Not knowing what else to do, they both went into their bedroom for a lengthy time of prayer. Afterward the husband said, “It was really quite simple. I am God’s servant. My responsibility is to serve my Master. His responsibility is to take care of me.”

The next day, the doctors told them that their daughter was eligible to be part of an experimental surgery and all expenses would be paid. The wife smiled and said, “God is responsible, isn’t He?” What a testimony to their faith and trust in God who remains faithful and responsible at all times and in all things. God is no respecter of persons. What He does for one, He will do for another (see Romans 2:11). I encourage you to stop worrying and start trusting in Him.

Prayer Starter: Lord God, I know that worry is a sin against You. In the name of Jesus, help me overcome all anxieties and worry, and enable me to trust You to provide for every need I have.

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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)

I have often pondered why some people do great things with their lives while others do little or nothing at all. I know that the outcome of our lives is dependent not only upon God, but also upon something in us. Each of us must decide whether or not we will reach down deep inside and find the courage to press past fear, mistakes, mistreatment at the hands of others, seeming injustices, and all the challenges life presents. This is not something anyone else can do for us; we must do it ourselves.

I encourage you to take responsibility for your life and its outcome. Be grateful for God’s blessings of the past and believe for even more in the future.

What will you do with what God has given you? God gives everyone equal opportunity—you can choose life or death (see Deuteronomy 30:19). It is your choice, and I believe you will make the right one!

Prayer Starter: Father, I am thankful for the opportunity to do great things for You. I pray that You will help me make the most of each new day and make the choices You would have me make.

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Let this same attitude and purpose and [humble] mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus: [Let Him be your example in humility].

— Philippians 2:5 (AMPC)

Humility comes from brokenness; brokenness hurts so bad, but it “hurts good.” Brokenness comes when we learn that we are not hotshots after all. Brokenness comes when we judge others, and then realize that we do the same things they do. Brokenness comes when we think we are going to step out and do something great, and then fall flat on our face because we forgot to stay plugged in to God.

Brokenness comes when we give our opinion, knowing that we are absolutely right to the point of arguing about it, and then find that we are wrong. Brokenness is good for us. Brokenness leads to humility, and humility precedes honor (see Proverbs 15:33).

Prayer Starter: God, as hard as it may be, as much as it hurts, thank You for brokenness, amen.

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Is anyone among you afflicted (ill-treated, suffering evil)? He should pray. Is anyone glad at heart? He should sing praise [to God]. Is anyone among you sick? He should call in the church elders (the spiritual guides). And they should pray over him…

— James 5:13-14 (AMPC)

Sometimes I marvel at how long Christians can struggle in a situation before thinking to pray about it. We complain about our problems, we grumble, we tell our friends, and we talk about how God should do something about it. We struggle with situations in our minds and in our emotions, while we often fail to take advantage of the simplest solution there is: prayer. We are all guilty of having treated prayer as a last-ditch effort. We carry burdens we do not need to bear—and life is much harder than it has to be—because we do not realize how powerful prayer is. If we did, we would pray about everything, not as a last resort, but as a first response.

In today’s scripture, the apostle James offers a simple, three-word solution to some of life’s challenges: He should pray. The message to us in this verse is that no matter what happens over the course of a day, we should pray. We should go to God immediately.

So, when you have a problem, pray; when you have a need, tell God what it is. When you are discouraged or you feel like giving up, pray. When you’re offended, pray. When you don’t know what to do, pray and ask God for wisdom. Whatever situation you find yourself in, pray before you do anything else.

Prayer Starter: Father, please forgive me for grumbling, murmuring, fault-finding and complaining about my problems! You know what I’m facing, and I come to you with all of my troubles. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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But Jesus looked at them and said, With men this is impossible, but all things are possible with God.

— Matthew 19:26 (AMPC)

Many people I meet want to start at point A in their Christian life, blink their eyes twice, and be at point Z. Many of them are frustrated about not knowing what their gifts are or what God has called them to do with their life. Some of them are so afraid of failing and making mistakes that it keeps them from stepping out.

We all have undeveloped potential, but we will never see it manifested until we believe that we can do whatever God says we can do in His Word. Unless we step out in faith, believing that with God nothing is impossible, He cannot do the work in us that He wants to do to develop our potential. It takes our cooperation and willingness through faith, determination, obedience, and hard work to develop what He has put in us.

Nobody can be determined for us, but we can be determined for ourselves. If we are not determined, the devil will steal from us everything we have. I encourage you to give your potential some form by doing something with it. You will never find what you are capable of doing if you never try anything. Don’t be afraid to step out into what you believe God is leading you to do. When you step out, you will find you are capable of great things.

Prayer Starter: Lord, help me to be bold and brave and to be everything You want me to be.

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And the patriarchs [Jacob’s sons], boiling with envy and hatred and anger, sold Joseph into slavery in Egypt; but God was with him.

— Acts 7:9 (AMPC)

God doesn’t want us to ignore or deny our circumstances, but He does want us to deny their right to control us through negative thinking. Joseph was a young boy sold into slavery by his very own brothers, “but God was with him,” and eventually Joseph became second in command over all of Egypt. I believe that even though Joseph had difficult circumstances, he knew God was greater than them.

Learn to think and say, “I may have problems, but God is with me.” One might think, I lost my job, but God is faithful. Another may think, My husband left me with our two kids, but God is our Provider. I had to think, I was abused, but God has promised me double for my trouble. I didn’t get to go to college, but God promoted me anyway. The sick person can think, I have health problems, but God is my healer.

No matter what you don’t have, you do have God—and with Him, all things are possible.

Prayer Starter: Father, I don’t necessarily like my circumstances, but I know You are with me and I am asking You to cause me to succeed.

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I will praise You, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will show forth (recount and tell aloud) all Your marvelous works and wonderful deeds!

— Psalm 9:1 (AMPC)

In Genesis 18 Sarah laughed at the thought of having a baby in her old age, and God asked Abraham a powerful question: Is anything too hard or too wonderful for the Lord? (Genesis 18:14 AMPC). That’s a question we should remind ourselves of even today.

With God, all things are possible. There is nothing He cannot do. He may do it differently than you planned, and He may do it later than you planned, but His ways and His timing are always better than anything you can imagine.

Take a moment and tell God, “Lord, I’m open to whatever You have for me. It may not be what I planned, and it may not happen on my timetable, but I trust Your perfect plan for my life. I refuse to give up on You, and I choose to let go of worry, anxiety and fear. I know nothing is too hard or too wonderful for You!”

Prayer Starter: Lord, thank you that I do not have to dread, but I can choose to do what I know is right, no matter what, amen.

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Wisdom cries aloud in the street, she raises her voice in the markets…

— Proverbs 1:20 (AMPC)

God wants us to use wisdom to make right choices, and the Holy Spirit will lead us into wisdom if we will simply ask Him to do so.

Have you ever needed to make a decision and had your head (your intellectual abilities) try to lead you one way while your heart was leading you in another direction? Have you ever had a situation in which your flesh (your natural thoughts and feelings) seemed to be guiding you down one path, but something inside you kept nagging you to go another way? For example, have there been times when you stayed up late at night watching television, even though you knew you needed a good night’s sleep to be strong and alert for an important meeting the next day—and you kept resisting the knowledge in your heart that you really should go to bed? Have you purchased something you were excited about on an emotional level, but knew in your heart you could not really afford and didn’t even need it?

What is happening in the kinds of circumstances I have just described? Chances are that wisdom is crying out to you. Many times, it cries out in the form of the things you find yourself thinking you should or should not do—you should eat healthily; you should be kind to other people; you should not spend money you do not have. These are all practical examples of using wisdom in everyday life. When you sense such leadings, the Holy Spirit, Who speaks to your heart, is trying to help you make a wise decision, even though it may not be the choice you want to make or it may not seem to make much sense in your present circumstances.

When we know the wise choice to make and don’t make it, the rea- son is often because we are allowing our flesh to lead us and to see if we can get away with unwise decisions—which is also known as “foolishness.” The flesh leads us to foolishness, but God wants us to walk in wisdom and make choices now that we will be happy with later.

What decision are you wrestling with? Trust the Holy Spirit to lead you to the wise choice. It may take some time to learn to hear the Holy Spirit over your flesh, but God is patient and will continue to provide you with opportunities to listen for His leading.

Prayer Starter: Lord Jesus, You know the decisions that lie before me. I put my trust in You to lead me and guide me toward the right choice. Help me listen for Your voice over everything else, amen.

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If any of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask of the giving God [Who gives] to everyone liberally and ungrudgingly, without reproaching or faultfinding, and it will be given him.

— James 1:5 (AMPC)

Learn not to ask yourself how you feel about things, but instead ask yourself if doing or not doing something is right for you. This is wisdom, and wisdom is a gift from God to be thankful for. You can choose to live by wisdom and decide to do what you know is right.

There may be a certain thing you want to do badly. It might be a purchase you want to make that you know you cannot afford. Your feelings vote yes, but your heart says no. Tell your feelings they don’t get to vote. They are too immature to vote and will never vote for what is best for you in the long run. Don’t let emotions rule your life and you will enjoy life more.

Prayer Starter: I am grateful, Father, that You give me the wisdom I need to make healthy, life-giving choices. Instead of giving my emotions the final say, I am going to look to You and to Your Word for direction in my life. Thank You that Your Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path, amen.

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Let each of you esteem and look upon and be concerned for not [merely] his own interests, but also each for the interests of others.

— Philippians 2:4 (AMPC)

My abusive childhood made me afraid that no one would ever take care of me, so I made a vow in my mind that I would never need anyone and that I would take care of myself. I was selfish, but Jesus died so we could be free from living selfish, self-centered lives (see 2 Corinthians 5:15).

Many people have great lives, yet they are unhappy. The reason they are not happy is that they are selfish. We cannot be selfish and happy at the same time.

In Philippians 4:5, Paul tells the Philippians that since Jesus is coming soon, they should be careful not to be selfish:Let all men know and perceive and recognize your unselfishness (your considerateness, your forbearing spirit). The Lord is near [He is coming soon] (AMPC). This verse helps us understand how vitally important it is not to allow ourselves to become selfish.

Experience has taught me that I can fight selfishness with generosity, but I have to be generous on purpose. Our natural inclination is to do what is best for us at all times, but with God’s help, we can resist that temptation and be concerned for others as well as for ourselves.

Prayer Starter: Father, I know I cannot be selfish and happy at the same time. I want to be happy, so help me to be as unselfish as I possibly can, amen.

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Do all things without grumbling and faultfinding and complaining…

— Philippians 2:14 (AMPC)

A while back as I was lying in bed, I suddenly felt an overwhelming need to repent for any complaining I had ever done in my life. I was watching a movie in which the main character had experienced a great tragedy and endured tremendous difficulty and yet he was maintaining a good attitude. We often complain and murmur about minor inconveniences and difficulties that, in reality, are nothing compared to what some people endure.

At that time, I was about to leave for a mission trip to Africa, and I knew I would see unimaginable suffering and deprivation. Those trips were wonderful for many reasons, especially to help renew my commitment to help and live for others.

Do you complain about things that are not that important in the larger scope of life? Are you extremely blessed but have fallen into a trap of focusing on what you don’t have instead of what you do have? I know I do at times, and I am grateful for the reminder from the Lord to be thankful in all things (see 1 Thessalonians 5:18) and realize that complaining is evil in His ears.

Let us be committed to thank God throughout each day of our lives and voice that thankfulness to Him.

Prayer Starter: Lord Jesus, please forgive me for any complaining I have ever done in my life and help me realize how good You are to me. I want to be extremely thankful for all the blessings You give me.

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