Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then they said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.” — Psalm 126:2

Adapted from the resource My Time with God Devotional – by Joyce Meyer

We need to laugh more. It is good for the soul and adds health to our body. One of the reasons we may not laugh more is because we think too much about things that have no ability to bring joy.

Thinking of what I have lost in life is not a joy-bringer, but thinking about what God has done for me and His promise to do even more does bring joy.

Thinking about the people who have hurt us in life is not a joy-bringing thought, but thinking about the grace God has given us to forgive and trust Him for vindication makes us want to laugh (at least it does me).

God often reminds me to laugh more. I don’t know about you, but sometimes I get too serious and I need to have a “laugh break.” There are lots of things to laugh at or about if we will just take the time to do it.

I believe laughter is much more important than we may realize. We aren’t too old or too busy, nor do we have too many problems to laugh! Start paying attention to how much you laugh and try to do it as often as possible.

Prayer Starter: Father, I believe You gave me the ability to laugh for a reason, and I want to take advantage of all the benefits of laughter. Help me take every opportunity to laugh and to make others laugh too. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

http://www.joycemeyer.org

You shall give to him freely, and your heart shall not be grudging when you give to him, because for this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake. — Deuteronomy 15:10

Adapted from the resource Love Out Loud – by Joyce Meyer

Here’s an idea: Get yourself a big box and start going through your possessions, asking God to show you what you have that you can use to bless others. Fill it up with things that are nice but that you no longer need.

Look in cabinets, drawers, closets, the basement, and the garage. You will fill up your box quickly! Don’t keep something for years in case you ever need it—if you’re anything like me, by the time you need it, you will have forgotten that you have it and go buy another one anyway.

Take the clutter that is frustrating you and turn it into blessings. Keep the box in a handy place and start asking God to show you who needs to be blessed.

One woman I know, who is a radical giver, got all the things together she wanted to use to bless people and displayed them on her kitchen table. She invited several friends over and told them to take anything they wanted from the table. She urged them to keep on taking until everything was gone.

I encourage you to be a giver and look for ways in which you can use what you have to be a blessing to others.

Prayer Starter: Lord, thank You so much for Your goodness and blessings in my life. Help me to always be mindful of other people’s needs and look for creative ways to share Your blessing with others. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

http://www.joycemeyer.org

The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When evildoers assail me to eat up my flesh, my adversaries and foes, it is they who stumble and fall. — Psalm 27:1-2

Adapted from the resource The Confident Woman – by Joyce Meyer

Satan is a liar. He lies to people and places images on the picture screen of their minds that show defeat and embarrassment. For this reason, we need to know God’s promises (His Word) so we can cast down the lies of the enemy and refuse to listen to him.

Fear seems to be an epidemic in our society. Are you afraid of anything? Is it rejection, failure, the past, the future, loneliness, driving, aging, the dark, heights, life, or death? The list of fears that people experience can be endless.

Satan never runs out of new fears to place in any individual’s life. At least not until they firmly make their mind up that they will not live in fear.

You can trade in pain and paralysis for power and excitement. Don’t allow feelings of any kind to dominate you, but instead remember that God says, “Fear not.” We must be determined that we will obey Him in this area. Fear may present itself as a feeling, but if we refuse to bow down to it, that is all it is… a feeling!

Prayer Starter: Father, help me to “fear not” as I go about my day. When I am anxious, nervous, worried or fearful, remind me of Your great love. Help me to lean on Your Word and constantly expose the lies of the enemy. Thank You for being with me today and always. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

http://www.joycemeyer.org

The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When evildoers assail me to eat up my flesh, my adversaries and foes, it is they who stumble and fall. — Psalm 27:1-2

Adapted from the resource The Confident Woman – by Joyce Meyer

Satan is a liar. He lies to people and places images on the picture screen of their minds that show defeat and embarrassment. For this reason, we need to know God’s promises (His Word) so we can cast down the lies of the enemy and refuse to listen to him.

Fear seems to be an epidemic in our society. Are you afraid of anything? Is it rejection, failure, the past, the future, loneliness, driving, aging, the dark, heights, life, or death? The list of fears that people experience can be endless.

Satan never runs out of new fears to place in any individual’s life. At least not until they firmly make their mind up that they will not live in fear.

You can trade in pain and paralysis for power and excitement. Don’t allow feelings of any kind to dominate you, but instead remember that God says, “Fear not.” We must be determined that we will obey Him in this area. Fear may present itself as a feeling, but if we refuse to bow down to it, that is all it is… a feeling!

Prayer Starter: Father, help me to “fear not” as I go about my day. When I am anxious, nervous, worried or fearful, remind me of Your great love. Help me to lean on Your Word and constantly expose the lies of the enemy. Thank You for being with me today and always. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

http://www.joycemeyer.org

And Nathan said to the king, “Go, do all that is in your heart, for the Lord is with you.” — 2 Samuel 7:3

Adapted from the resource Closer to God Each Day Devotional – by Joyce Meyer

A willing heart is a heart that “wants to.” If there is something we want to do strongly enough, somehow we will find a way to do it.

With God’s help and a willing heart, we can have a close relationship with Him, keep our house clean, save money, get out of debt, or reach any other goal in life we may have set for ourselves. Our victory or defeat has a lot to do with our “want to.”

Many times we lay the blame for our failures on the enemy, other people, the past, and on and on. But the bottom line may be that we just don’t have enough of the right kind of “want to.”

If you really want to be closer to God, I believe you will be. Your willing heart will cause you to seek Him with a new passion. You’ll choose to spend time each day in prayer and studying the Word. God will see your heart and draw close to you even as you are drawing close to Him.

Prayer Starter: Lord, help me to have a willing heart to seek You and make wise decisions for my life. Help me to not be led by my emotions but instead be motivated by what I know is right to do. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit. — Psalm 34:13

Adapted from the resource Battlefield of The Mind Devotional – by Joyce Meyer

“You really have the gift of gab,” one man told me many years ago, when I first started in the ministry. He had pointed out something that I already knew: God had given me “a ready tongue.” That is, I speak easily. Words are my tools. The Lord first gave me that gift, and then He called me into the ministry to use that ability to work for Him.

I have no trouble talking. That’s my gift; that’s also been my greatest problem. Because I seem to always have something to say, I have struggled many, many years over the right use of my tongue. It has not been an easy battle.

Over the years, I heard various people saying things like, “Hold your tongue.” “Do you have to speak every word that comes to your mind?” “Do you always speak first and think later?” “Must you sound so harsh?”

Had I truly listened to what people were saying, I might have realized that God was trying to tell me something. But I ignored their comments and continued in my own stubborn ways. I know I have wounded people with my words in the past, and I am sorry for that. I’m also grateful that God has forgiven me.

Several years ago, I realized that if God was going to use my life, I had to gain control of my tongue—not to just stop talking, but to keep my tongue from evil, and my lips from speaking deceit, as the psalmist David says.

I had a choice. I could hurt people with my words—and I could do that well—or I could bring my lips into subjection to God. Obviously, I wanted to be subject to the Lord, but it was still a battle.

Our words are expressions of our hearts—of what’s going on inside us. If we want to know who a person really is, all we need to do is listen to their words. If we listen long enough, we learn a lot about them.

As I learned to listen to my own words, I also began to learn a lot about myself. Some of the things I learned did not please me, but they did help me realize that I had a character flaw that needed to be addressed. My words were not pleasing God, and I wanted them to. Once I confessed my failure to God, the victory came—not all at once and not perfectly, but God is patient with me. I’m growing, and part of my growth is keeping my lips from evil.

No matter how negative you are or have been, or how long you’ve been that way, God wants to change you. In the early days after my confession to God, I still failed more often than I succeeded, but every time I did succeed, I knew I was closer to God’s plan for my life. God can do the same for you.

It won’t be easy, but you can win. And the effort will be worth it.

Prayer Starter: Lord, help me use my mouth for right things. Put a watch over my mouth lest I sin against You with my tongue (see Psalm 141:3). Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to You (see Psalm 19:14). I ask it in Jesus’ wonderful name. Amen

http://www.joycemeyer.org

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven. — Ecclesiastes 3:1

Adapted from the resource Wake Up to the Word Devotional – by Joyce Meyer

Time: A particular portion or part of duration, whether past, present or future.

Do you ever feel that life is incomplete because something you have desperately longed for hasn’t happened?

All you wanted was a happy marriage, but he left you. You dreamed your whole life of having a baby, but you haven’t conceived. You thought you’d be together forever, but the person you loved died. You tried and tried to heal a relationship, but it remains broken. You gave years to a career, but it hasn’t panned out.

Perhaps you feel that it is too late for you to truly enjoy your life, but that is just not true. I want to tell you that your “too late” is God’s “just in time.” He loves to do things in your life that man assumes are impossible.

God’s thoughts are not your thoughts, and His ways are not your ways (see Isaiah 55:8). In other words, God’s plan is different from yours, and God’s timetable is different from your timetable. With Him, there is no such thing as too late. God always shows up at just the right time!

Prayer Starter: I thank You, Father, that nothing is impossible for You. Today, I lift up to You all of my hopes, dreams and disappointments, knowing that You are always right on time…and that You can take even the bad things that have happened and work them out for my good. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

http://www.joycemeyer.org

The Lord God has given me the tongue of those who are taught, that I may know how to sustain with a word him who is weary. Morning by morning he awakens; he awakens my ear to hear as those who are taught. — Isaiah 50:4

Adapted from the resource Trusting God Day by Day – by Joyce Meyer

Nothing will prepare you to face what you have to face at work, at home, in relationships, or in daily life like taking some time to commune with God before your busy day begins.

When I first understood that I needed to prepare myself for every day by spending time with God, some of my children complained. They were teenagers at that time, so I told them:

“Listen, you’re old enough to put cereal in a bowl and pour milk on it. And you should be glad I go to my study every morning. You will have a much nicer day if I take this time with God!”

Yesterday morning, I told my daughter, Sandra, I was going to spend my early morning time with the Lord, and she replied, “Are you going to get nice?” We both laughed because we’ve learned that even something as simple as being nice to others can be impossible without that daily preparation in God’s presence and Word.

I know many people feel extremely pressed for time, and the very thought of adding something else to your schedule makes you shudder. All I have to say is, the more you have to do and the busier you are, the more you really need to spend time with God.

I do not know how you need to adjust your schedule, but I know the time you give to God is no different from the money you give to God—if you give Him time, He will give it back to you.

God is in charge of time; He knows how much time you need to accomplish the things you really need to do, and He can protect and help you manage it if you will spend time with Him first. Stop trying to fit God into your schedule and make a decision to put Him first, then work the rest of your schedule around Him.

Prayer Starter: Father, I want to make a habit of spending time with You. You are my Source of help and strength, and I can’t have any real success in life without You. Help me today to make You a priority in my life and work my schedule around You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

http://www.joycemeyer.org

A glad heart makes a cheerful face, but by sorrow of heart the spirit is crushed. — Proverbs 15:13

Adapted from the resource The Power of Being Thankful – by Joyce Meyer

When Jesus invited people to become His disciples and follow Him, He asked them if they wanted to join His party. I realize He was talking about His group, but I like to think that traveling with Jesus was probably a lot of fun as well as a lot of hard work.

Repeatedly throughout the gospels, we see Jesus invite people to leave their lifestyles and side with His party, and He is still issuing that invitation today. Yes, there is work to do for the kingdom of God, but thankfully we can have fun while we do it.

When we follow Jesus, we are not going to a solemn assembly or a funeral. We are joining His party that is full of life, peace, and never-ending joy!

Prayer Starter: Father, help me to lay aside the burdens and cares of this world and receive Your joy today. I thank You that You want me to have fun and enjoy the life You have given me. With Your help, I will celebrate Your goodness in my life today and every day. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Only fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart. For consider what great things he has done for you. — 1 Samuel 12:24

Adapted from the resource Starting Your Day Right – by Joyce Meyer

To have peace, keep your eyes on God. Get alone to fellowship with Him. If you have to get in a closet and sit in the middle of all your shoes and hang clothes over your head to hide in order to find solitude, do it! Then focus on all that God has done for you.

Jesus said to go to your most private room when you pray to the Father, and He will reward you openly for the time you spend with Him (See Matthew 6:6). Don’t miss out on God’s abundant blessings for your life.

Prayer Starter: Father, in the midst of everything I have to do today, I ask You to fill my heart and mind with Your supernatural peace. Help me to continually grow closer to You and receive the peace and rest You have for my life. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

http://www.joycemeyer.org

But they all alike began to make excuses… — Luke 14:18

Adapted from the resource Battlefield of the Mind Devotional – by Joyce Meyer

Moses made excuses when God called him to service. He said he wasn’t eloquent enough and could not speak (see Exodus 4:10).

Felix made excuses when Paul was speaking to him about righteousness and self-control. He essentially said, “Right now is an inconvenient time. Can you come back later?” (see Acts 24:25).

When God invites people into relationship with Him, many people come up with excuses when the truth is they simply don’t want to make the sacrifices required to follow Him. Even among those who are believers in Jesus, we still hear ample excuses for not serving Him fully.

It is time to deal with excuses and start speaking truth. There is one truth none of us will be able to avoid: The day will come when every person will stand before God and give an account of his or her life (see Romans 14:12 On that day there will be no excuses!

Prayer Starter:Prayer Starter: Father, I want to love and serve You wholeheartedly without making excuses. Draw me closer to You and help me to step out into all that You have for my life. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

http://www.joycemeyer.org

w you [collectively] are Christ’s body and [individually] you are members of it, each part severally and distinct [each with his own place and function]. — 1 Corinthians 12:27 (AMPC)

Adapted from the resource New Day, New You – by Joyce Meyer

We wonder, What am I to do with my life? What is my purpose here? Does God have a calling on my life?

God answers these questions through our natural gifts and abilities. He leads us to our purpose through the natural skills and unique talents He bestows upon us. God-given gifts are the skills a person easily performs without formal training. We derive great pleasure from doing what we are naturally good at doing.

If you aren’t sure of your purpose, just do what you are good at doing, and then watch God confirm you by blessing your endeavors. Don’t spend your life trying to do what you are not gifted to do. I tried to grow a garden and can tomatoes and sew my husband’s clothes. I wasn’t at all good at any of these things, and I even despised trying!

It was obvious that God wasn’t calling me to grow and preserve vegetables or to sew. But what if no one enjoyed gardening or canning or making clothes? God keeps our world in balance by giving each of us natural talent and pleasure in doing what needs to be done for the good of everyone around us.

We know we are operating in our gifts and calling when what we do ministers life to others. If what we do makes us miserable and fills us with a sense of dread, it’s possible we are not in God’s perfect will. God gives us peace and joy to let us know we are fulfilling His perfect plan.

I encourage you to look at what you enjoy, what you’re good at, and what God is giving you the grace to do—and then let God be God in your life. He wants to flow through you in many different ways, but it may not be the same way He flows through others. Trust His ability in and through you, and don’t be afraid to be unique.

Prayer Starter: Father, thank You for the special gifts and abilities You have given me. Help me to stay focused on what You have called me to do and use my gifts to bless the word around me. Help me to be myself—the unique person You created me to be. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Adapted from the resource My Time with God Devotional – by Joyce Meyer

God’s timing in our lives is perfect, and we will enjoy life much more if we believe that. He knows the exact right time to do the things we have requested of Him.

Don’t waste your time being upset about something that only God can change. If He withholds your desire for the time being, thank Him that He knows best.

Time is a gift—don’t waste it being upset!

Prayer Starter: Father, I know that Your timing is perfect. Help me to patiently wait on You and learn to enjoy each and every moment of my life, knowing that You are in complete control. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

http://www.joycemeyer.org

“By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” — John 13:35

Adapted from the resource Love Out Loud – by Joyce Meyer

Jesus says that there is one way people will know whether we belong to Him or not, and that is our love for one another. I like to say that love is the trademark, the distinguishing sign or characteristic, of a Christian. It’s what sets us apart from the rest of the world.

Before you buy something, do you read labels or look for certain trademarks (brand names) that have a reputation for being good? That is what people should be able to do with us because we are disciples of Jesus Christ.

They should be able to look at us and say, “This is good. This is a person of quality!” People should be able to identify us not only by our talk, but also by our walk.

The world is looking for something to believe in, something real, something tangible. They are looking for love, and God is love (see 1 John 4:8).

Those of us who are Christians need to show them Jesus, and we do that not by merely wearing Christian jewelry or putting bumper stickers with Christian messages on our cars, but by walking in His love and demonstrating that love to others.

Many people have gone to church looking for God and instead been met with the rules and regulations of religion, and not even so much as a friendly smile. They left without encountering God.

Countless people are hungry for God, and God needs us to be His ambassadors, representing Him in every way, starting with His trademark characteristic, which is love.

Prayer Starter: Lord, Your Word says we are Your representatives here on earth (see 2 Corinthians 5:20). I ask for Your help to display Your character—Your love—to everyone I meet. Let my life draw others to Your goodness every single day. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

http://www.joycemeyer.org

“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few. — Matthew 7:13-14

Adapted from the resource New Day New You Devotional – by Joyce Meyer

Here in this passage, Jesus speaks of two different ways: the broad way that leads to destruction and the narrow way that leads to life.

As I was meditating on this passage, the Lord spoke to my heart and said, “Joyce, on the broad way there is room for all kinds of fleshly things like bitterness and unforgiveness and resentment and vindictiveness. But on the narrow way there is only room for the Spirit.”

In the flesh it is easy to take the broad path, but the end result is destruction. Emotions move us to take the easy way, to do what feels good for the moment. Wisdom moves us to take the hard way that leads to life. The question is: Which will we choose?

No matter what has happened to you in your lifetime, even if you have been abandoned by your spouse or abused by your parents or hurt by your children or others, if you’ll stay on that narrow path and leave all your excess baggage behind, sooner or later you will find the peace, joy, and fulfillment you seek.

We must keep walking in the ways of the Lord: And let us not lose heart and grow weary and faint in acting nobly and doing right, for in due time and at the appointed season we shall reap, if we do not loosen and relax our courage and faint (Galatians 6:9 AMPC).

Jesus is the Way, and He has shown us the way in which we are to walk. The Lord has sent upon us His Holy Spirit to lead and guide us in the way we are to go, the narrow way that leads to life and not the broad way that leads to destruction.

Prayer Starter: Father, help me to choose the narrow path today—in my thoughts, with my words, and through my actions. When my feelings rise up and I’m tempted to take the broad path, please strengthen me by Your Spirit and help me to make wise decisions I will be happy with later. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Keep on asking and it will be given you; keep on seeking and you will find; keep on knocking [reverently] and [the door] will be opened to you. — Matthew 7:7 (AMPC)

Adapted from the resource My Time with God Devotional – by Joyce Meyer

I have made a commitment to pray more than ever, and I hope you will join me.

Prayer is the greatest privilege that we have. Prayer makes all things possible! God’s Word teaches us that we have not because we ask not (see James 4:2). It is tragic indeed to miss out on the immense benefits that prayer provides simply because we fail to take the time to ask.

My desire is to “pray my way through the day.” It is another way of saying what the apostle Paul said, which is “Pray without ceasing” (see 1 Thessalonians 5:17 AMPC).

This does not mean that I intend to stay on my knees all day or sit somewhere with folded hands praying all day. I simply desire to understand that all failure is a prayer failure and to be wise enough to invite the Lord to help me with each thing I do.

The Bible says in Ephesians 6:18 that we should “pray at all times (on every occasion, in every season) in the Spirit, with all [manner of] prayer” (AMPC). Forming the habit of doing so will open the door to more victory and breakthrough than we can imagine.

I don’t want to miss any more opportunities to see God’s amazing power manifested in my life, and I am sure you don’t either, so please join me in discovering the power of simple prayer!

Prayer Starter: Dear Father, I commit to praying my way through the day, and as I begin, I ask for Your help. I am praying that You will help me pray! Teach me the vital importance of talking with You about everything. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you…for a pretense make long prayers… — Matthew 23:14 (NKJV)

Adapted from the resource Love Out Loud Devotional – by Joyce Meyer

Sometimes people think they have to spend a long time praying in order to demonstrate their love for God. But prayer does not have to be long to be powerful.

The length of our prayers really makes no difference to God. All that matters is that our prayers are Spirit-led, heartfelt, and accompanied by true faith.

There is certainly nothing wrong with praying for an extended period of time. I believe we should set aside times for prolonged prayer and that our willingness or lack of willingness to spend time with God determines our level of intimacy with Him.

If issues in our lives really require us to pray at great length, then we need to do that, but we do not have to pray prolonged prayers just for the sake of logging time.

I have learned that some of the most powerful, effective prayers I can pray are things like, “Thank You, Lord,” or “Give me strength to keep going, Lord.” And perhaps the most powerful of all: “Help!!!”

See? Just a few words will connect us with heaven, and God will know how much we love Him simply because we turn our thoughts toward Him.

If you have thought your prayers had to be long in order to be effective, I hope you have now been relieved of that burden. Just one word spoken to Him in faith from a sincere heart can reach His heart and move His hand.

Prayer Starter: Father, let my prayers today be like breathing—easy, comfortable, and almost without thinking. Help my prayers and conversations with You become more genuine and meaningful—less about “have to” and more about “want to.” In Jesus’ Name, Amen

http://www.joycemeyer.org

You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. — Jeremiah 29:13

Adapted from the resource Hearing from God Each Morning Devotional – by Joyce Meyer

We may have to deal sternly with our flesh to resist the spirit of passivity that tries to keep us from growing in the knowledge of God. A commitment to spend time with God is as serious a commitment as any we will ever make.

If I needed dialysis because of kidney disease and had to be at the hospital twice a week for treatment at 8 a.m., I certainly would not accept an invitation to do anything else during those times, no matter how appealing it seemed or how much I wanted to do it. I would know my life depended on keeping my dialysis appointment.

We should be that serious about our time with God. The quality of our lives is greatly affected by the time we spend with Him, so that time should have priority in our schedules.

Sometimes we become slack in keeping our appointments with God because we know He is always available. We know He will always be there for us, so we may skip or reschedule our time with Him so we can do something that seems more urgent.

If we spent more “priority time” with God, we might not have so many “urgent” situations that tend to rob us of our time.

When we spend time with God, even if we don’t feel His presence or think we are learning anything, we are still sowing good seeds that will produce good harvests in our lives. With persistence, you will reach the point where you understand more of God’s Word, where you are enjoying fellowship with Him, and where you are talking to God and hearing His voice.

Prayer Starter: Lord, today I renew my commitment to spending time with You. You’re the Source of everything good in my life, and I know that apart from You I can do nothing of real value (see John 15:5). Help me to always see how much I require Your strength and presence in my life. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

http://www.joycemeyer.org

The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people. — Titus 3:8

Adapted from the resource The Confident Women Devotional – by Joyce Meyer

The world is not hungry for mediocrity. This world needs 10s. I believe everyone can be a 10 at something, but we often work so hard on trying to overcome our weaknesses that we never develop our strengths.

Whatever we focus on grows larger in our eyes—too large, in fact. We can turn something into a huge problem when, in reality, it would be a minor nuisance if only we viewed it in perspective with our strengths.

For example, let’s say you are not a “numbers” kind of person. You could obsess about your inability to “do the math” and maybe even take a class at the community college.

But that obsession could eat up time that could be devoted to stuff you’re great at—like teaching Sunday school, creative writing, or raising funds for charity. You rob time and effort from the 10s in your life just to bring a lowly three up to a mediocre five.

Prayer Starter: Lord, I dedicate myself to developing and using my strengths for Your honor and glory. I want to excel at what I am gifted to do. Help me to know my strengths and to handle my weaknesses in a way that does not distract me from being effective for You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

http://www.joycemeyer.org

By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies. — Hebrews 11:31

Adapted from the resource Ending Your Day Right Devotional – by Joyce Meyer

Rahab hid the spies whom Joshua had sent in to spy out the land. Because of her they were kept safe from the king who would have killed them.

Before their departure she asked them to protect her just as she had protected them.

These men told her, “Stay under the scarlet cord, and you will be safe. Not only you, but all those of your family whom you bring in with you. But if anyone gets out from under the protection of the scarlet cord, he will be destroyed” (see Joshua 2 AMPC).

Rahab obeyed their instructions and was saved from destruction (see Joshua 6:25).

The scarlet cord represents the blood of Jesus—which runs throughout the Bible. Use the blood of Jesus as a marker over you and your family. When God sees it, He will pass over you.

Prayer Starter: Father, thank You for the blood of Jesus that washes me clean from sin and protects me from harm today and every day. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

http://www.joycemeyer.org