Tag Archives: Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Keep Your Appointment

 

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

 

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Joyce Meyer – Break the Mediocre Mold

 

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

 

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Joyce Meyer – The Scarlet Cord

 

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.

 

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Joyce Meyer – No More Fears

 

“There is no fear in love, but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love” (1 John 4:18, KJV).

“If I could hear Christ praying for me in the next room,” declared Robert Murray McCheyne, “I would not fear a million enemies. Yet distance makes no difference. He is praying for me: ‘He ever liveth to make intercession.'”

Is there some fear in your life over which you do not have victory? Whether it is great or small, you can gain victory over that fear through claiming, by faith, God’s supernatural love for yourself and for others, for “perfect love casts out fear.”

That promise makes it imperative that you and I claim God’s agape, the supernatural love described in 1 Corinthians 13, love for God, for our neighbors, for ourselves and for our enemies – for all men. As we do this, we can begin to practice that perfect love, showing it to our families and to friends and neighbors.

No fear is too small for Christ to handle, and certainly none is too large. Remember, “God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7, KJV). If fear does not come from God, then we must reject that spirit of fear as coming from the enemy of men’s souls.

Fear of the future is a large fear for many people, but sometimes the seemingly small fears – of crowds, of heights, whatever – can cause more distress than greater fears. It is in these instances that God demonstrates His faithfulness to fill our hearts with His love and to cast out fear.

Faith is the most effective foe of fear, and “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.”

Bible Reading:2 Timothy 1:6-12

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: Today I will recognize any kind of fear in my life for what it is: an attempt of the enemy to sabotage my effectiveness as a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ. By faith I will claim God’s supernatural love for myself and others, and thereby gain victory over fear. As I pray for myself, I shall pray for others also who experience the same devastating results of fear.

 

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Joyce Meyer – Greater Things

 

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?…And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? — Matthew 6:25, 27

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

Satan is constantly waging war on the battlefield of the mind.

Our soul is the tangible area between our spirit—the place where God Himself lives—and our physical body. It is made up of our mind, will, and emotions—it tells us what we think, what we want, and how we feel.

When our mind is constantly stirred up with concern, worry, and anxiety, our God-given inner voice of insight and understanding becomes drowned out. In this unstable state, we no longer know what God’s will is regarding what we should and shouldn’t do.

When we allow the enemy to overtake our mind with worry and anxiety instead of following God’s Spirit, we are living the life of the flesh, and it keeps us out of God’s will.

Romans 8:8 says that . . . those who are living the life of the flesh [catering to the appetites and impulses of their carnal nature] cannot please or satisfy God, or be acceptable to Him (AMPC).

This does not mean that God doesn’t love us. It simply means that He is not satisfied with, nor will He accept, fleshly behavior.

God cares about us and about our needs. He wants greater things for us than we want for ourselves. We must fight hard to resist the temptation to accept the devil’s endless lies.

When I finally got fed up with not having any peace in my life, I made a decision to do whatever I needed to do to get it. I asked God what I should do. His response was clear:

“Joyce, you need to begin living on a deeper level.” Eventually, the Lord made it apparent to me that the deeper level on which I needed to live was the level of the Spirit.

In order for us to truly enjoy the abundant life Jesus died to give us, we need to stop worrying about what we think we want and need, and start following the promptings of the Holy Spirit.

That’s the message against worry. It doesn’t matter if your need is food, a job, the right clothing, the best schools for your children, your future, or the future of your family—God knows and God cares. The trick of Satan is to whisper, “God doesn’t care about you. If God truly cared, you wouldn’t be in this mess.”

When we focus on ourselves—what we don’t have—we have little energy left to focus on others and reaching out to help them. We don’t give money freely when we’re afraid or worried that we’ll lose our job or not have enough to pay our own bills. But when we trust God to provide for every need, we are free to share what we have.

Let me encourage you to stop worrying about your own needs and instead focus on the Word of God. You might even need to say to yourself out loud, “God does love me, and nothing can separate me from His love. He has heard my confession of sin, and He has forgiven and cleansed me. God has a positive plan for my future because His Word says so” (see Romans 8:38-391 John 1:9Jeremiah 29:11).

Every time worry and anxiety come up to try and steal your righteousness, peace, and joy, find out what the Word of God says, and then open your mouth and speak the Word.

God’s ultimate goal is to get us to the point where no matter what is going on, we remain calm. Who is going to keep us calm? The answer to that question is the power of the Holy Spirit working on the inside of us. God wants us to develop the habit of running to Him for the grace to resist the lies of the devil. Eventually the truth will win out and change our life!

Prayer Starter: My heavenly Father, thank You for caring for me and for assuring me that You will provide for every need I have. Too often, I’ve allowed worry to creep in and steal my joy or my peace. Because of worries over little things, sometimes I’ve been unable to focus on the greater things in this life You do for me. In the name of Jesus Christ, free me from the things that bind me so I can be totally free to worship and serve You. Amen.

 

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Joyce Meyer – Mystery

 

“Call to Me and I will answer you, and tell you [and even show you] great and mighty things, [things which have been confined and hidden], which you do not know and understand and cannot distinguish.”— Jeremiah 33:3 (AMP)

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

A mystery is a profound secret, something wholly unknown or something kept cautiously concealed.

We might say that life is a mystery unfolding. As teenagers and young adults, we try to formulate a plan for the future, but in reality, it is a mystery what our lives will hold.

Not knowing everything is what urges us to seek God!

God is actually very fond of mystery. We can start with the mystery of our birth. The Bible says we are formed in secret and in the region of mystery (our mother’s womb) (see Psalm 139:15).

Job said the dealings of God with the ungodly are a mystery (see Job 21:16). And in Mark 4:11, the kingdom of God is said to be a mystery.

You may have some sort of a plan for the future, and that is good, but only God knows for sure what will happen. Thankfully, you can live in peace, trusting God with whatever happens.

Be assured that God will guide you, He will be with you, and, therefore, you have nothing to fear.

Prayer Starter: Lord, thank You for the incredible plan You have for my life…and for all of the mysteries and surprises You have in store! I call out to You today, as Jeremiah 33:3 says, and I ask You to show me great and mighty things. Encourage me about my future…and help me to trust You with every single detail all along the way. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 

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Joyce Meyer – Positively Possible

 

Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.” — Mark 10:27

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

One of the best stories about how faith and confidence in God releases the power of potential took place centuries ago, when many parts of the ancient world were still unsettled.

God promised the people of Israel they would possess a rich and fertile country, known as Canaan. He didn’t promise them they could step across its borders without opposition, but He did promise them they would inhabit it—and when God makes a promise, He means it.

Taking God at His Word, the Israelites appointed 12 men to go into Canaan to “spy out the land” and bring back a report.

Upon their return, 10 spies admitted that the land owed with milk and honey and acknowledged that the fruit in Canaan was large and beautiful, but then remarked that the land was full of giants who would be impossible to overcome.

They allowed the presence of the giants to detract from the promises of God.

In contrast, Joshua and Caleb brought back good reports, full of faith and confidence in God, and Caleb spoke up with confidence, saying, Let us go up at once and possess it; we are well able to conquer it (Numbers 13:30 AMPC).

The 10 spies thought the giants in the land were too big to kill, but Joshua and Caleb thought they were too big to miss. Joshua and Caleb were the only two men who were positive in the face of opposition from the giants. They didn’t ignore the challenges, but they did not overemphasize them—and they were the only two who entered the Promised Land.

Being positive does not mean we deny the existence of difficulty; it means we believe God is greater than our difficulties.

Believing in God can cause us to win any battle we face. When we are closed to “positive possibilities,” we only see what is right in front of us, not what we could see if we would simply be positive and creative.

Prayer Starter: Father, I want to be like Joshua and Caleb! Help me to always see the “positive possibilities” in my life. When You give me direction and guidance, help to me go forward with confidence, knowing all things are possible with You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

 

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Joyce Meyer – Something God Responds To

 

That I may make the voice of thanksgiving heard and may tell of all Your wondrous works. — Psalm 26:7 (AMPC)

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

Giving thanks is an important part of prayer because, like praise and worship, it is something God responds to. It’s something God loves, something that warms His heart. Anytime we please God like that, our intimacy with Him increases—and that makes for a better prayer life.

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 God give us something else to murmur or complain about?

On the other hand, when God sees that we genuinely appreciate and are thankful for everything He gives us—the big things and the little things—He is inclined to bless us even more.

Prayer Starter: Father, thank You that I can have a personal relationship with You. I pray that You are blessed by my thanksgiving. I love You, and I am so grateful for each thing that You have given me, no matter how big or how small. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 

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Joyce Meyer – Bearing Fruit

 

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. — John 15:16

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

The Bible says that we are blessed if our confidence is in the Lord. We will be like trees planted by the waters that continue to bear fruit (see Jeremiah 17:7–8).

I admit that sometimes, at the end of a day, we may feel that all of our fruit has been picked! But God will replenish us if we abide in Him. If we put our trust in God, we will bear all kinds of fruit, and will have new fruit to share with others every morning.

Prayer Starter: Father, I’m nothing in myself—I can’t bear fruit without You! Right now, I take a moment to acknowledge Your presence. Please strengthen me—my mind, my body, and my spirit. Pour Your love into me so I can share it with others today. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 

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Joyce Meyer – Let Your Words Be Positive and Few

 

You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. — John 14:28

Adapted from the resource Power Thoughts Devotional – by Joyce Meyer

Jesus experienced adverse circumstances all the time, and while He did talk about His situations, He never did so in a negative way.

In the book of John, He told His disciples He was going away, but they should be happy for Him because it was the will of God. He went on to say He wouldn’t be talking much more with them (see John 14:28–31).

Jesus knew when to talk, when not to talk, and how to talk. He obviously knew the power and impact of words. I believe choosing to say fewer words and making sure the ones He did say were the right ones helped Him complete God’s perfect plan for Him.

Prayer Starter: Lord, help me today to use wisdom with the words I speak. Holy Spirit, please guide me and help me to say only things that are encouraging and positive to others. Help me know when to speak and when to be silent! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 

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Joyce Meyer – Start with What You Have

 

Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come again, tomorrow I will give it”—when you have it with you.— Proverbs 3:28

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

We can have good intentions and still be disobedient. Procrastination is very deceptive. We don’t see it as disobedience because we intend to obey God; it is just that we are going to do it when—when we have more money, when we are not so busy, as soon as Christmas is over, after we get the kids in school this year, as soon as vacation is over, etc.

There is no point in praying for God to give you more money so you can be a blessing to others if you are not being a blessing with what you already have.

Don’t believe Satan’s lies that you have nothing to give. Even if it is only a pack of gum or a ballpoint pen, start using what you have to bless others.

Prayer Starter: Father, help me to be a blessing today. Show me ways I can impact someone’s life—even in a small way. Help me to use the resources You have given me to love others and glorify You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

 

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Joyce Meyer – See the Good in People

 

Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person… — 1 Corinthians 13:7 (AMPC)

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

God is reminding me today to look for the good in everyone I meet. I have no difficulty locating what is wrong with people, and in fact, I sometimes seem to be an expert at it!

I don’t like being that way and am thankful that in Christ, I can choose another way of living. If you struggle with this, then you can too.

Jesus has given us a new nature (see 2 Corinthians 5:17), and we can purpose to live out of it and actually learn to treat people the way Jesus would.

I am asking for the “gift of awareness.” I want to be aware of what is right and good about people and not merely what is wrong with them. I don’t want to try and take the speck out of my brother’s eye when I have a log in my own (see Matthew 7:4).

Let’s make this year one of believing the best of everyone we know. It will help us have more joy, and we will enjoy the people in our lives much more than ever before.

Prayer Starter: Dear Jesus, I long to be like You and see people the way You do. Help me take the time to really get to know people and not merely judge them at first glance. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 

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Joyce Meyer – Take Responsibility

 

Apply your heart to instruction and your ear to words of knowledge. — Proverbs 23:12

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

any times in my meetings, someone has asked me to pray for physical healing. I do pray for people, but I also know that many times what people really need is to take personal responsibility for their health and well-being.

Often, their physical problems can be solved by improving their health—eating better, exercising, drinking more water, getting enough sleep at night, or taking time for leisure, recreation, and relaxation.

In what specific areas do you need to take responsibility to improve the quality of your life?

Prayer Starter: Father, help me to take at least one step today towards better health. My body is the temple of Your Holy Spirit (see 1 Corinthians 6:19), and I want to take care of this gift You have given me. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen

 

 

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Joyce Meyer – Friendship Makes Us Bold

 

Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. — Hebrews 4:16

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

When we begin to understand our friendship with God and see ourselves as His friends, our prayers become more Spirit-led, more faith-filled, and much bolder.

Jesus told a story in Luke 11, immediately after He taught His disciples to pray using what we call the “Lord’s Prayer.” We can surmise that He was using the story to illustrate His lesson on prayer.

He said: Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and will say to him, Friend, lend me three loaves [of bread], for a friend of mine who is on a journey has just come, and I have nothing to put before him; and he from within will answer, Do not disturb me; the door is now closed, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot get up and supply you [with anything]? I tell you, although he will not get up and supply him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his shameless persistence and insistence he will get up and give him as much as he needs (Luke 11:5–8 AMPC).

Notice that the man who needs bread gets it only “because of his shameless persistence and insistence.”

We will only “shamelessly persist” with our friends—because friendship makes us bold, and the more we grow and progress in our friendship with God, the bolder and more confident we can be as we approach Him.

Prayer Starter: Lord, Help me to love You and talk to You as a close friend. When I feel like there’s a wall between us, remind me that I can come boldly before your throne of grace and ask for help in my time of need (see Hebrews 4:16). In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 

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Joyce Meyer – What Is Confidence?

 

Hezekiah trusted in, leaned on, and was confident in the Lord, the God of Israel; so that neither after him nor before him was any one of all the kings of Judah like him. — 2 Kings 18:5 (AMPC)

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

What is confidence? I believe confidence is all about being positive concerning what you can do—and not worrying over what you can’t do.

A confident person is open to learning because they know that their confidence allows them to walk through life’s doorways, eager to discover what waits on the other side. They know that every new unknown is a chance to learn more about themselves and unleash their abilities.

Confident people do not concentrate on their weaknesses; they develop and maximize their strengths.

For example, on a scale of one to ten, I might be a three when it comes to playing the piano. Now, if I were to practice long and hard—and if my husband could put up with the racket—I could, maybe, transform myself into a middle-of-the road, level-five pianist.

However, as a public speaker, I might be an eight. So, if I invested my time and effort into this ability, I might just be able to get to a level ten. When you look at it this way, it’s easy to see where you need to invest your efforts.

Prayer Starter: Lord, if Hezekiah could learn to lean upon and be confident in You, I know that it’s also possible for me. Enable me to focus on developing and maximizing my strengths rather than concentrating on my weaknesses. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 

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Joyce Meyer – Always Constant

 

Jesus Christ is [eternally changeless, always] the same yesterday and today and forever. — Hebrews 13:8 (AMP)

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

What is the main thing you love so much about Jesus? There are many answers to that question, of course, such as the fact He died for you on the cross so you wouldn’t have to be punished for your sins; then He rose again on the third day.

But in your daily relationship with Him, one of the things you will appreciate most about Him is the fact you can count on Him not to change.

You love Jesus and are able to trust Him because He is never changing. He has said in His Word, “This is the way I was, and this is the way I’m always going to be.”

If you can count on anything, you can count on Jesus never changing. He can change anything else that needs to be changed, but He always remains constant.

Prayer Starter: Jesus, thank You for being the constant in my life! You never change, but You are always working in my life and helping me to change. Today, I pray that You will open my spiritual eyes even further and help me to understand Your unchanging love and faithfulness in a greater way. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 

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Joyce Meyer – No More Self-Doubt

 

And David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because all the people were bitter in soul, each for his sons and daughters. But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God. — 1 Samuel 30:6

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

If we don’t believe in ourselves—in the talents and abilities God has given us—who is going to? God believes in us, and it’s a good thing too; otherwise, we might never make any progress. We cannot always wait for someone else to come along and encourage us to be all we can be.

When David and his men found themselves in a seemingly hopeless situation, which the men blamed on him, David encouraged and strengthened himself in the Lord. Later on, that situation was totally turned around (see 1 Samuel 30:1–20).

When David was just a boy, everyone around him discouraged him concerning his ability to fight Goliath. They told him he was too young and too inexperienced, and he didn’t have the right armor or the right weapons. But David was close to God and had confidence in Him. David believed that God would be strong on his behalf and give him the victory.

Self-doubt is absolutely tormenting, but we can rid ourselves of it. Like David, we can learn to know our God—about His love, His ways, and His Word—then ultimately we can trust that He will provide us with the strength we need.

Prayer Starter: Father, You know everything about me—every insecurity, weakness and fear. Help me to be sufficient in Your love and strength today. Help me to grow stronger and more confident as I continue to know You in a greater way. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 

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Joyce Meyer – From Faith to Faith

For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed, both springing from faith and leading to faith [disclosed in a way that awakens more faith]. As it is written and forever remains written, “THE JUST and UPRIGHT SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.” — Romans 1:17 (AMP)

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

Faith is a word the apostle Paul used often in his writing. When writing to the Thessalonians, he wanted to know about their faith.

While the word faith means belief or absolute trust, it’s more than that—the word also implies loyalty and commitment.

Faith means being convinced that something is true. In 1 Corinthians 15:17, the apostle told the Corinthians that if Jesus did not rise from the dead, their faith was meaningless. He was saying that all they believed was utterly useless. True faith acknowledges that the message of Jesus’ death and resurrection is true.

True faith begins when we’re receptive—when we’re willing to listen. It starts with a kind of mental assent—it seems reasonable that it’s true. But that’s not true faith. True faith happens when we say, “Not only does it make sense to me, but I’m willing to stake my life on it.”

Paul quoted from Habakkuk 2:4, saying that the just—the righteous—shall live by faith. One way to think of the just is to think of those who were “justified,” or made right, by the death of Jesus Christ on the cross.

Continue reading Joyce Meyer – From Faith to Faith

Joyce Meyer – Breaking Bad Habits

 

Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. — 1 Corinthians 15:58

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

Habits are behaviors that we often do unconsciously, and to break bad ones we have to become conscious and aware that we are doing them and choose to replace them with good habits.

Breaking bad habits is a process, and if you are a person who gives up easily, you won’t get very far. So, make a decision that you are in it for the long haul and that you are willing to have the pain for the gain.

Anything worth having in life is going to take a concentrated effort. With God’s help, a determined attitude, and an awareness that a bad habit needs to be broken, you can have victory—be encouraged that you can break that bad habit, with God’s help, and replace it with a good one.

Prayer Starter: Lord, help me to not give up! Strengthen me today to make right choices. Help me to replace the bad habits in my life with good, healthy habits that glorify You. I can only do it by Your grace. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

 

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Joyce Meyer – There’s Great Value in Variety

 

Behold, here is what I have seen to be good and fitting: to eat and drink, and to find enjoyment in all the labor in which he labors under the sun during the few days of his life which God gives him—for this is his [allotted] reward. — Ecclesiastes 5:18 (AMP)

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

If we do the same thing over and over, sooner or later we’re going to get bored. We don’t have to wait for something nice to happen to us; we can be aggressive and do something nice for ourselves. For many of you, I know this is a new thought that may seem foreign and even unspiritual. But I can assure you that it is part of God’s plan. You can create variety, and it will keep your life more exciting.

I sat with my computer on my lap for about four hours this morning and then stopped for a while to do some other things I needed to do. When I went back to my writing, I decided to sit in a different part of the house just for variety. I chose a place that had plenty of light where I could look out the window. Simple little things like this cost nothing, but they are very valuable.

No day needs to be ordinary if we realize the gift God is giving us when He gives us another day to live and enjoy. An extraordinary attitude can quickly turn an ordinary day into an amazing adventure. Jesus said He came so that we might have and enjoy life (see John 10:10). If we refuse to enjoy it, then it’s no one’s fault but our own.

I would like to suggest that you take responsibility for your joy and never again give anyone else the job of keeping you happy. Add a little variety to your life—break up your routine, do something different, and so on. When you do, expect God to meet you and help make your ordinary…extraordinary!

Prayer Starter: Father, thank You for Your joy. Please help me to approach my life with adventure, choosing to enjoy each and every day…and adding variety all along the way. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 

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