And we know [with great confidence] that God [who is deeply concerned about us] causes all things to work together [as a plan] for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to His plan and purpose. — Romans 8:28

Abuse means “to misuse, to use improperly, to use up or to injure by maltreatment.” The effects of abuse can be devastating and long-lasting. Many people never recover from it.

There are different kinds of abuse: sexual, emotional, verbal, physical. No matter the form, the results are always terrible. It will keep you from functioning properly and prevent you from receiving and experiencing the righteousness, peace, and joy of God’s kingdom.

I understand this firsthand because I was abused throughout my childhood. Thankfully, I don’t just know the power of abuse, but I know the great power of God’s love. Because of the love of God, my past doesn’t have to affect my future anymore.

If you’ve been abused in the past, understand today that God loves you. Nothing can separate you from His love. He has made a way for you to be free from your past and to enter true Kingdom living.

With Jesus, there is hope for newness of life. Will you receive His love today?

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But you will receive power and ability when the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you will be My witnesses [to tell people about Me] both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and Samaria, and even to the ends of the earth.” — Acts 1:8

I remember when I was a born-again Christian who was actively involved in church life, but I was not getting victory over my problems. I thought that if I acted like a Christian and looked like I had my act together, I would be happy. But doing the right thing wasn’t enough. I needed a change on the inside.

Acts 1:8 speaks of receiving God’s power to be His witnesses. Notice it does not say to do witnessing but to be witnesses. Doing is a different thing than being. I had my outside polished up, but my inner life was a wreck. Quite often the inner turmoil exploded, and then everybody could see I wasn’t quite what I appeared to be.

Thankfully, I came to the point where I was desperate for a move of God in my life and knew there had to be more than what I had experienced in my relationship with Him. As I cried out to Him in prayer for help, He touched my life in a powerful way, and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit gave me a real love for God and His Word like never before. Now, I was no longer faking it.

I encourage you to receive this same Holy Spirit power. Let Him take you from “doing” to “being.”

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I anticipated the dawning of the morning and cried [in childlike prayer]; I hoped in Your word.— Psalm 119:147 (AMPC)

How do you start your day? Do you hurriedly get out of bed and barely make it out the door on time? Do you turn on the TV? Do you exercise? Whatever your morning routine may be, the most important question you need to ask yourself is, What role does God play when I start my day?

It took me a lot of years to figure this out, but I now know that the very best way to start my day is by giving thanks to God for what He’s done for me and asking Him how I can be a blessing to other people.

I encourage you to spend time each morning focusing on the good things God has done in your life. Think about the dangers and difficulties He’s brought you through, the ways He’s healed you and changed you, and how good it is to know He cares for you and hears your prayers.

When you learn to set your mind on God each morning, He’ll give you all the peace and joy you need to live for Him as you go about the rest of your day.

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Now He who provides seed for the sower and bread for food will provide and multiply your seed for sowing [that is, your resources] and increase the harvest of your righteousness [which shows itself in active goodness, kindness, and love].— 2 Corinthians 9:10

God’s financial system is not like the world’s system. And no matter what happens around us, we don’t have to be fearful because God loves us.

While the world’s financial systems are often unstable, the love of God never changes and remains our solid foundation in life. We can have confidence that whatever is happening, God wants to help us and will go out of His way to meet even our simple day-to-day needs.

Second Corinthians 9:10 emphasizes that God will provide for our needs and give us bread for eating.

God is the One who supplies our needs. Our jobs are not our source—God is. So when jobs and investments disappear, we don’t have to feel hopeless because God is not limited. He can provide for us through other means, in ways we may not have imagined or can figure out ahead of time.

Matthew 6:26 reassures us that if God takes care of the birds, we can believe He is going to provide for us, too. Do you believe God can take care of you?

Prayer Starter: God, thank You for being a faithful, trustworthy source and providing all I need. No matter what happens, I rely on You and only You to meet my needs.

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You were bought with a price [purchased with a preciousness and paid for, made His own]. So then, honor God and bring glory to Him in your body.— 1 Corinthians 6:20 (AMPC)

Some of us haven’t learned to love our bodies enough to properly care for them. To change that, we must confront the three biggest obstacles to healthy living.

We don’t know how to care for our bodies. Bad diets, misinformation, and fast foods have confused people about what a wholesome diet is and how to eat the right foods in proper amounts.

Our view of body image is skewed by media and advertising. We’re bombarded with unattainable ideals of beauty, while obesity is so prevalent that it’s almost considered normal. We need to rediscover what a healthy person looks like.

Exercise is nearly obsolete. We’ve invented enough conveniences that we often live completely void of exercise. We don’t even walk anywhere if we don’t have to! But the truth is, a good deal of our well-being is dependent on exercising our bodies.

If you struggle with these obstacles, make a decision today that you will not be defeated. God tells us to treat our bodies well, and He will always help us do the things He tells us to do. So make a decision to rely on God’s strength and live a healthier lifestyle.

Prayer Starter: God, I want to honor You by taking care of my body and living a healthy life. I believe that I can make changes through Your power that is at work in me.

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I am the Vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him bears much fruit, for [otherwise] apart from Me [that is, cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing. — John 15:5

One of the most important things I have learned is to let God do the heavy lifting. Too many times we see what’s wrong with ourselves and try to fix it through our own strength, but this will never be good enough. Jesus said in John 15:5, …apart from Me…you can do nothing.

We may try to be self-sufficient, but we need to let God supply the grace and ability to do what we need to do. Willpower and determination can get us started, but they usually don’t last and end up leaving us stranded in the middle of a mess.

We can learn to enjoy the life Jesus died to give us by inviting God to become involved in every aspect of it. Jesus said, Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest (Matthew11:28 NIV).

We are not made to function without God. And with Him, we can break any bad habit or addiction, like overeating, substance abuse, poor time management, anger issues, you name it. Jesus is bigger than any problem you have.

Prayer Starter: God, I know I’m nothing without You, so I invite You into every area of my life. I’ll let You do the heavy lifting, following and trusting You every day.

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Be well balanced (temperate, sober of mind), be vigilant and cautious at all times; for that enemy of yours, the devil, roams around like a lion roaring [in fierce hunger], seeking someone to seize upon and devour.— 1 Peter 5:8 (AMPC)

God has a plan for your life, but the devil has a plan for you too. As a result, the Bible says we need to Be well balanced (temperate, sober of mind), be vigilant and cautious at all times.

Temperate means “disciplined,” sober of mind means “serious,” vigilant means “determined” and cautious means “careful.” We are to live like this at all times. That’s serious.

But we need to get serious to fight off the enemy. Whenever God shows you an area in your life where the enemy is attacking you, that’s not the time to sit back and do nothing. It’s time to get serious and fight back against Satan.

God’s plan is for us to be more than conquerors in Christ. We don’t have to live enslaved to the enemy’s plan. You can decide right now to do what you need to do. Get serious with God, follow the promptings of the Holy Spirit, and stay on guard against the enemy. Choose today to follow God’s plan for your life, not Satan’s, and you will defeat the enemy at every turn.

Prayer Starter: God, I choose Your plan, not the enemy’s. Show me the areas where he is attacking me and guide me in defeating him.

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But without faith it is impossible to [walk with God and] please Him, for whoever comes [near] to God must [necessarily] believe that God exists and that He rewards those who [earnestly and diligently] seek Him.— Hebrews 11:6

I was seriously abused throughout my childhood. My life was horrible! I don’t remember ever being really happy until I was in my twenties. My mind was a mess, my emotions were a mess…everything was a mess!

But thank God, I didn’t stay that way! God has dealt with me, changed me and brought me through it all. Now I have a great relationship with God, real peace and joy, good relationships with family and friends, and I’m doing what God has called me to do.

Hebrews 11:6 tells us that God rewards those who diligently seek Him. I’ve discovered that anything I sacrificed to get closer to God and obey Him, I received back from Him many times over. And what He gave me was always much better.

You may be thinking, But Joyce, you don’t know what I’m dealing with. It’s so hard!

I understand—I’ve been through some really hard stuff, too. But God will reward those who seek Him. Be determined to seek Him in the midst of your hardship. He is more than able to clean up your messes!

Prayer Starter: God, I believe You can clean up my messes. Instead of staying stuck in my troubles, I earnestly seek You today and expect You to do something good in me.

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Brothers and sisters, I do not consider that I have made it my own yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead.— Philippians 3:13

The longer a person lives, the more likely they are to wonder “what if…?” and feel the regret or sadness it often causes. The good news is that for any follower of Jesus, “what if?” doesn’t have to be a regret over the past, but an exciting challenge to see the future God has for them.

I know of a congregation that was challenged by their pastor to do four simple things (for only a month) to consecrate themselves for the coming year. He asked them to pray every day, fast one day a week, tithe, and bring one unsaved person a week to church.

The result was an unprecedented breakthrough in the life of this church. God’s presence became stronger in the services. Financial breakthroughs came for ministry projects and proposed buildings. And most exciting of all, church members entered a phenomenal season of bringing lost souls into God’s kingdom.

I want to challenge you: What if you pursued God today, just like that church? What if you dedicated your life entirely to Him? What if you pushed forward, ready to see what God can do? What might happen?

Prayer Starter: Lord, I don’t want to spend my life asking “what if?” and never seeing any breakthroughs in my life. I make a fresh commitment to pursue You today, excited to see the amazing things You will do in my life.

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A man’s mind plans his way [as he journeys through life], But the LORD directs his steps and establishes them.— Proverbs 16:9

People often ask me how they can find out what God’s will is for their lives. Some spend many years waiting to hear a voice or to receive supernatural direction. But hearing God’s voice in your heart is usually more practical than that. I tell them to step out and find out.

Early in my journey with God, I wanted to serve Him. I felt He had placed a call on my life, but I didn’t know exactly what to do, so I tried different opportunities that were available.

A lot of them didn’t work out for me, but I kept trying different ones until I found an area that fit me. I finally came alive inside when I had an opportunity to share the Word with people. I found joy in teaching, and it was obvious God had given me the ability to do it. I knew then that I had found my place in ministry.

Sometimes the only way to discover God’s will is to practice what I call “stepping out and finding out.” If you have prayed about a situation and don’t seem to know what you should do, take a step of faith. Don’t be afraid of making a mistake. Step out and God will guide you.

Prayer Starter: God, I trust You and I know You will direct my steps, so I’m not afraid to step out and find what You have for me.

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I have been crucified with Christ [that is, in Him I have shared His crucifixion]; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body I live by faith [by adhering to, relying on, and completely trusting] in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.— Galatians 2:20

Paul said that he had been crucified with Christ. In other words, he had to stop thinking about himself in order to live for God. And we are encouraged to do the same.

At this point you may be thinking, What about me? Who is going to take care of me? This is usually what prevents us from living the way God wants us to live.

It’s easy to just think about what we want, think and feel, but living for yourself is actually a frustrating, empty way to live. It’s amazing how focusing on God and what we can do for others brings freedom from fear about having what we need or want.

The secret to having joy is giving your life away rather than trying to keep it. When you get the focus off of you and onto God, God can show you how to live a truly meaningful life.

I encourage you to start your days by dedicating yourself to God. When you do, He will faithfully help you live a godly life.

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If you extend your soul to the hungry And satisfy the afflicted soul, Then your light shall dawn in the darkness, And your darkness shall be as the noonday.— Isaiah 58:10 (NKJV)

God is passionate about helping people who are hurting and in need. Throughout the years, as I have become closer to Him and my love for Him has grown, I have become more determined to live each day in a way that will make someone else’s life better. God’s passion has become my passion.

Reaching out to others isn’t something we should pay lip service to. It should be a top priority of living the Christian life.

It takes determination and commitment to stretch ourselves to help others, but that’s how God wants us to live. God says that when you truly give and pour yourself out for others, He will use you. And when He uses you, your light shall dawn in the darkness, and your darkness shall be as the noonday (Isaiah 58:10 NKJV).

If you reach beyond your own situation and bring Christ’s love to others, your peace and joy will increase, making the struggles you face seem to fade away. And you’ll experience the amazing satisfaction of making a difference where it counts.

So consider this: Do you need to rearrange your priorities to make God’s passion your passion? Ask Him to show you how you can reach out to others and bring His light and love to those who need it most.

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I assure you, believers, by the pride which I have in you in [your union with] Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily [I face death and die to self].— 1 Corinthians 15:31

Selfishness is not learned behavior—we are born with it. But when we accept Jesus as our Savior, He comes to live in our spirit, and as we learn how to “die to self” and follow the leading of the Holy Spirit, then we can overcome selfishness. It may never go away completely, but the Greater One who lives in us helps us overcome it daily (see Galatians 5:16).

Now, I haven’t overcome selfishness entirely, and I doubt anyone else has either. Even the apostle Paul, one of the greatest Christians who ever lived, had trouble overcoming selfishness. Learning to live unselfishly was a journey for him, just like everybody else. He said he had to “die to self” every single day.

We are called to the same life because we cannot live selfish lives and expect to make a difference. We must die to self every single day. It usually isn’t easy to do, but God will always give us His grace to do what’s right when we lean on Him. And the truth is, living an unselfish life is the best way to have more righteousness, peace and joy every day!

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And to the angel (divine messenger) of the church in Philadelphia write: “These are the words of the Holy One, the True One, He who has the key [to the house] of David, He who opens and no one will [be able to] shut, and He who shuts and no one opens.— Revelation 3:7

There are critical times in our lives when we especially need to know we are hearing clearly from God. It isn’t always easy to know His voice from that of our own emotional reasoning. But I know from experience that God can open doors of opportunity that no one can close, and He can also close doors that we cannot open.

I spent many years trying to make things happen that I wanted to do in life. The result was frustration and disappointment. But I found that when we depend on God, He will give us favor and make things easy for us as we seek Him and His perfect timing. He leads us one step at a time. If you take one step forward in the wrong direction, He will let you know before you go too far.

Be aware that His thoughts are above your thoughts. He sees the end from the beginning. All His ways are right and sure. He knows what makes sense for your life and He can make it happen. Listen to His voice, and you will not be deceived.

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Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is within you, whom you have [received as a gift] from God, and that you are not your own [property]?— 1 Corinthians 6:19

Until I turned sixty-four, I’d never exercised consistently or took it seriously. I had walked and done a few things to stay in decent shape, but I was not dedicated to exercise. I had reached into my excuse bag many times over the years and come up with all kinds of “reasons” I could not exercise. But the Lord spoke to my heart, encouraging me to begin a serious workout program so I could be strong for the last third of my journey through life.

I already had good eating habits, and when I obeyed the Lord and started going to the gym several times a week, I stepped into a new season of life. I looked better, felt better, and most importantly, I was honoring God by taking good care of the body He gave me.

If you have room for improvement in this area, pray and ask God what you should do to start living a healthier lifestyle. The Word says that our bodies are temples of God. And I want to make sure that God likes His temple! Today, make the choice to keep your temple in excellent shape for God.

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Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not be terrified or dismayed (intimidated), for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”— Joshua 1:9

I strongly urge you to face your challenges one day at a time. Looking too far down the road only tends to overwhelm us. Trusting God requires that we believe He gives us our “daily bread”; that is, we receive what we need as we need it and usually not before.

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

This principle applies to many other areas of life—getting out of debt, cleaning and organizing your house, solving marriage problems, disciplining your children, being on time for work or completing a project. Whatever you need to do in life, you can do it.

Philippians 4:13 says you are ready for anything and equal to anything because God gives you strength. Nothing is too much for you when He is on your side.

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Then this Daniel was distinguished above the presidents and the satraps because an excellent spirit was in him, and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.— Daniel 6:3 (AMPC)

Daniel is a man in the Bible who is described as having an “excellent spirit.” He lived to glorify God with his life, no matter what it cost him.

Daniel loved God and was unwavering in his commitment to serve Him. As a result, God gave him favor with the king, which led to his promotion over the other leaders in the land. But his commitment to God was tested.

The leaders didn’t like that the king favored Daniel. So they manipulated the king to sign a decree that prohibited anyone from praying to any god other than the king for thirty days. Violating the decree meant being thrown into a den of lions.

Daniel didn’t cave in to this decree—he was more concerned about keeping his commitment to God. If you know the story, you know God protected him and was glorified in the end.

I want to encourage you to live with that same excellent spirit. Be determined to live for God in every area of your life. As you do, you’ll fulfill your true purpose and glorify God in everything you do, just like Daniel.

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Search me [thoroughly], O God, and know my heart; Test me and know my anxious thoughts;— Psalm 139:23

Years ago, when we were struggling financially, I grew tired of believing for a breakthrough and broke down before the Lord. I cried about it for a while and then, by the grace of God, I made a decision and declared: “God, I am going to tithe and give offerings until the day I die, whether I ever see anything come from it or not!”

I believe with all my heart this was a test for me to see why I was really giving. The Lord wanted to reveal whether I had the right, godly motives. If I was just “giving to get,” I may have only selfishly given to get something from God.

There’s been a lot of teaching and preaching that says, “Do this and you’ll get that.” But what about having a pure heart that says, “I want to do the right thing just because it’s right and it glorifies God”?

I urge you to honestly examine your motives today and make sure they’re not self-centered. Make a wholehearted commitment to serve God for the right reasons.

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And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and in stature, and in favor with God and men.— Luke 2:52

From childhood, Jesus walked in the supernatural favor of God and men. In fact, He was so popular He could hardly find time alone to pray and fellowship with His heavenly Father. Even those who did not believe in Him as the Christ recognized that He walked in the favor of God.

The guards sent by the Pharisees to arrest Jesus returned saying, Never has a man talked as this Man talks! (John 7:46 AMPC). And right up to the end of His life, even while He was on the cross, the people recognized that God was with Him (see Luke 23:47-48).

This same favor is available to us. We must never forget that no matter what happens, we can have favor with God and with other people (see Luke 2:52). But like so many good things in life, we must put our faith in God to receive it.

So today, live by faith, confidently knowing that God will give you the favor Jesus had. Regardless of the circumstances that come into your life, believe God for supernatural favor.

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Such hope [in God’s promises] never disappoints us, because God’s love has been abundantly poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. — Romans 5:5

It’s impossible for human love to be unconditional like God’s love. But as believers in Jesus Christ, we have the love of God in us. We can let that love flow freely, without conditions. Our love fails, but God’s does not. Our love comes to an end, but God’s does not.

Sometimes I find that although I can’t love a person in my own strength, I am able to with God’s love. The true love of God doesn’t depend on feelings—it’s based on a decision. It’s not based on whether or not that person deserves it. And it is absolutely freeing to be able to love people without stopping to ask if they deserve it.

Human love depends on feelings. It loves people because they have been good to us or they loved us first. That kind of love comes and goes.

God’s love is totally different. It isn’t based on anything except God Himself. When we receive Christ as our Savior, the love of God is poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit. Pour out God’s love to others today.

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