The wise in heart are called prudent, understanding, and knowing, and winsome speech increases learning [in both speaker and listener]. — Proverbs 16:21

A word we don’t hear much about today is prudence. It means “careful management: economy.”

In the Bible, prudence, or prudent, means “being good stewards or managers of the gifts God has given us to use.” Those gifts include time, energy, strength and health—even material possessions. They include our bodies, as well as our minds and spirits.

Just as each one of us has been given a different set of gifts, each of us has been given different levels of ability to manage those gifts.

Too many people burn themselves out, constantly using their gifts and abilities in ways that God did not intend them to. Instead of pushing ourselves too hard to please others or reach our own personal goals, we need to listen to God and do what He’s telling us is wise.

Trying to impress people and live up to their standards isn’t prudence. Prudence means asking God how He wants you to use your gifts and then obeying. Learn God’s prudence today and put it into practice so you can enjoy your life the way He intended.

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Cast your burden on the LORD [release it] and He will sustain and uphold you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken (slip, fall, fail). — Psalm 55:22

Did you know that God wants to make a trade with you? He wants you to give Him all your cares, problems and failures. In return, He’ll give you His peace and joy.

God really does want to take care of us, but in order to let Him, we’ve got to stop trying to take care of ourselves and worrying about every little thing we can’t control. Many people would like for God to take care of them, but they insist on worrying or trying to figure out an answer on their own, instead of waiting for God’s direction.

God will give us peace, but we must first give Him our worries. What a great trade! We give God our worry, and He gives us His peace. We give Him all our cares and concerns, and He gives us His protection, stability and joy. That’s the amazing blessing and privilege of being cared for by Him.

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For I consider [from the standpoint of faith] that the sufferings of the present life are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is about to be revealed to us and in us! — Romans 8:18

As Christians, we like the thought of sharing in Christ’s glory, but what about sharing in His suffering? Jesus’ sacrifice gives us the gift of eternal life and also abundant life while we’re here on this earth. But the Bible teaches that we must suffer times of trial if we are to share in His glory. Is it worth it? According to Romans 8:18, it certainly is!

We tend to believe that we suffer because of our circumstances, and if they would only change, we’d be able to act right. But God wants us to become so mature and stable that we act right even when our circumstances aren’t good. There are different levels of faith, and most of the time we want to use our faith to get rid of all suffering. But sometimes God’s plan is for us to exercise a higher level of faith that will carry us through life’s challenges.

Too often we marvel at the delivering power of God and overlook His keeping, strengthening and enabling power. Jesus promised in John 16:33, that He will give us His peace during the trials of life and the power we need to overcome them. I encourage you today, if you are going through a time of suffering, take heart because in Christ, you will come through it and share in His glory, which shall be revealed!

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But the fruit of the Spirit [the result of His presence within us] is love [unselfish concern for others], joy, [inner] peace, patience [not the ability to wait, but how we act while waiting], kindness, goodness, faithfulness, — Galatians 5:22

As Christians, we like the thought of sharing in Christ’s glory, but what about sharing in His suffering? Jesus’ sacrifice gives us the gift of eternal life and also abundant life while we’re here on this earth. But the Bible teaches that we must suffer times of trial if we are to share in His glory. Is it worth it? According to Romans 8:18, it certainly is!

We tend to believe that we suffer because of our circumstances, and if they would only change, we’d be able to act right. But God wants us to become so mature and stable that we act right even when our circumstances aren’t good. There are different levels of faith, and most of the time we want to use our faith to get rid of all suffering. But sometimes God’s plan is for us to exercise a higher level of faith that will carry us through life’s challenges.

Too often we marvel at the delivering power of God and overlook His keeping, strengthening and enabling power. Jesus promised in John 16:33, that He will give us His peace during the trials of life and the power we need to overcome them. I encourage you today, if you are going through a time of suffering, take heart because in Christ, you will come through it and share in His glory, which shall be revealed!

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[Inasmuch as we] refute arguments and theories and reasonings and every proud and lofty thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God; and we lead every thought and purpose away captive into the obedience of Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One). — 2 Corinthians 10:5

When we start the process of renewing our minds, there will be times when we mess up. God knows we’re not perfect and He’s always there to help us get back on track.

Unfortunately, the devil also knows we’re not perfect, and he does his best to remind us every step of the way.

We can be going along, serving God, doing good, stepping out in faith and then all of a sudden, without any obvious justification for it, we’ll have a day or week when we experience an attack in our minds. Satan will tell us that we’re failures, that we’re not good enough, that God doesn’t love us…the list goes on and on.

Thankfully, God’s Word tells us just what to do in a situation like this. Second Corinthians 10:5 tells us to take every thought captive and into obedience to God. So when the devil tries to lie to you, go to the Word and find the truth that refutes that lie.

When those doubts come your way, don’t get discouraged. Bring them in line with God’s Word. It works every time!

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But about midnight when Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them; suddenly there was a great earthquake, so [powerful] that the very foundations of the prison were shaken and at once all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were unfastened. — Acts 16:25-26

Sometimes we find ourselves in such horrible messes that it’s hard to imagine waiting one more second for relief and release. But we need to keep waiting on God and trusting Him with a sweet and simple faith. Then, in a way we never could’ve figured out—God moves suddenly!

Paul and Silas knew about waiting, and they waited well. Acts 16 tells the story of how they were attacked by a crowd, beaten and thrown in jail. Verse 24 says the jailer put them into the inner prison (the dungeon) and fastened their feet in the stocks. Paul and Silas didn’t seem to mind—they just decided to start singing and began to worship the Lord. They began to wait on God.

Suddenly, God sent an earthquake that opened the prison doors and loosed their chains. He set them free!

When people patiently and expectantly wait on God in the midst of horrible circumstances, suddenly God breaks through. So don’t give up! Don’t stop believing! Stay full of hope and expectation. God’s power is limitless, and He’ll break through for you.

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He who believes in Me [who adheres to, trusts in, and relies on Me], as the Scripture has said, ‘From his innermost being will flow continually rivers of living water.’ — John 7:38

As believers in Christ, the Holy Spirit lives in us, abiding in our spirits. He is the river of life within us. This river is a wonderful gift given to each of us by God. It flows with good health, a positive outlook on life, and a generous and forgiving attitude.

Many people, however, have allowed their river to become stopped-up. They are always discouraged, and no matter what they do, they can’t seem to snap out of it. Years of neglect have turned a once-powerful flowing river into a small stream. Do you know people like this? Does this sound like your life?

Until you’re able to get your river cleared out and unclogged, everything will be difficult, disappointing and unfulfilling. You’ll be unable to taste the water that satisfies like nothing else.

Make a choice today to stop spending your life fighting, struggling and trudging through the mud with every step. Ask God to help you clear out the debris. He’ll show you what’s blocking the flow and how to get rid of it. Then, enjoy the satisfying flow of the river of life!

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Moreover [let us also be full of joy now!] let us exult and triumph in our troubles and rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that pressure and affliction and hardship produce patient and unswerving endurance. — Romans 5:3 (AMPC)

It’s important to renew our minds, but it’s also important to realize that this process of reprogramming or renewing our minds will take place little by little. Don’t be discouraged if progress seems slow, or when you have setbacks or bad days. Just get back up, dust yourself off and start again.

When a baby is learning to walk, he falls many, many times before he develops the ability to walk without falling; however, the baby is persistent. He may cry for a while after he falls down, but he always gets right back up and tries again.

Learning to change our thinking works the same way. We struggle and fall down, but God is always there to pick us up. Rather than get frustrated, remember to do what the Bible says and “triumph” in your hardship, because the very fact that you’re struggling means you’re fighting the good fight of faith.

There will be days when we don’t do everything right—days when our thinking is negative. But never stop trying. God is gradually bringing us around to His way of thinking, as long as we don’t give up!

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Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken. — Psalm 62:1-2 (NIV)

Has this ever happened to you: You break a rubber band while trying to stretch it around something. You can’t find another one, so you try to fix the broken one by tying the ends together.

Sometimes in our daily lives, we stretch ourselves beyond our capacity, and we snap like the rubber band. We think we’ve fixed the problem by simply tying the ends back together. But soon we fall into the same behavior that caused us to break down in the first place.

Over time with repeated exposure to stress, our lives begin to resemble that worn-out rubber band. It can completely deplete us.

Ignoring God’s laws and His ordained limits for our lives will ultimately cause burnout. You simply can’t continue to overwork your mind, emotions and body without eventually paying the price. But that’s not how God wants you to live.

Adjust your perspective to match God’s. Seek His peace and His pace for your life. Respect your body. Treat good health as a priceless gift. Don’t waste the energy God has given you on stress. Save it for living and enjoying life!

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But I say to you, love [that is, unselfishly seek the best or higher good for] your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may [show yourselves to] be the children of your Father who is in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on those who are evil and on those who are good, and makes the rain fall on the righteous [those who are morally upright] and the unrighteous [the unrepentant, those who oppose Him]. — Matthew 5:44-45

Have you ever seen someone receive a blessing from God and felt like they didn’t deserve it? Have you seen good things happen to someone who has hurt you?

When a person who offended you gets a blessing, it can grate on you…at least it did for me until I learned how to forgive.

The Bible says that good and bad things happen to both the righteous and the unrighteous. When someone who’s hurt you receives a blessing, it makes it even harder to forgive them, but you are still called to pray for them.

I want to encourage you today to bless the people who have hurt you by praying for them, even though you may feel hurt and irritated by them. When you pray for people who have hurt you, it’s a choice you make. And forgiveness is based on your decision – not a feeling. But there’s healing in that for you.

A forgiving lifestyle helps you become more like Christ. As you learn the importance of forgiveness and begin to pray for blessings for those who have hurt you, your heart will heal from bitterness, and your personal growth will lead you to the blessings God has planned for you.

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Therefore there is now no condemnation [no guilty verdict, no punishment] for those who are in Christ Jesus [who believe in Him as personal Lord and Savior]. — Romans 8:1

When I ask large audiences how many people spend their lives feeling guilty, my guess is that at least 80 percent of the people raise their hands. I was part of that 80 percent until I decided that I was not built for guilt, and I was not going to continue to allow a renegade feeling to rule my life.

I studied God’s Word about guilt and studied His character and nature until I was totally convinced that God is not the source of guilt.

I see guilt as an illegal alien that attacks our mind and conscience, attempting to prevent us from enjoying anything God has provided for us. Guilt has no legal right in our lives because Jesus has paid for our sins and misdeeds. If it is in us illegally, then we need to send it back where it came from—which is hell!

Refuse to let guilt steel your joy any longer. You must remember that you are not built for guilt. Deal with it aggressively anytime you experience it by receiving God’s love and grace.

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He who gives to the poor will not want, but he who hides his eyes [from their want] will have many a curse.— Proverbs 28:27 (AMPC)

I’ve discovered the best way to deal with money is to give it away. And we need to keep on giving, especially during challenging financial times. This is a key factor in helping us maintain a biblical focus on our finances.

It’s always possible to live by God’s financial principles, even in difficult times. You might find yourself in what seems like an impossible financial situation and feel like you’re in no position to give, but don’t let that stop you. God will help you when you simply work with what you have.

Luke 19:17 tells us that God is pleased when we are faithful and trustworthy in very little things. When we are, it says He will give us authority over bigger things.

Proverbs 28:27 says, He who gives to the poor will not want…. If we obey God with our finances, even when we don’t have much, and give to help other people, God will provide what we need. It’s just that simple. Choose to be a giver today, and you will not lack anything.

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This [day in which God has saved me] is the day which the LORD has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it. — Psalm 118:24

God wants us to have joy in the midst of our ordinary, everyday lives—even on the worst days.

There were times in my life when I dreaded facing each day. All I could think about were my circumstances—wondering how Dave and I were going to pay the bills or get everything done that we needed to do. Sometimes I wanted to pull the covers over my head and just stay in bed.

I was so wrapped up in worry that I was missing the point: God had created a new day, and He created it so I could enjoy it.

Every single day is filled with all kinds of situations that could upset you—things like losing your car keys or getting caught in a traffic jam. But you can choose to be at peace and in control in the midst of them.

When we take our minds off of ourselves and our circumstances and put our focus on God and loving others, we are embracing an attitude that honors Him and enables us to view every day as an exciting new gift from God.

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Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become restless and disturbed within me? Hope in God and wait expectantly for Him, for I shall again praise Him For the help of His presence. — Psalm 42:5

People experiencing tragedy often become emotionally unstable and need to express their grief somehow. They may cry uncontrollably, and tears or other feelings of distress can come and go when least expected. Confusion, anger, fear, depression and waves of overwhelming feelings are common. In times like these, I believe it’s wise to look at King David.

In Psalm 42:5, we see that when David was feeling depressed, he resisted it. He didn’t sink into it or get into the pit of despair. He described how he felt, but he made a decision not to live by his feelings. He praised and trusted in God.

Most of us go through emotionally difficult times when tragic loss occurs, and we need to give ourselves time to grieve. As we go through the process, God wants to comfort us and give us the grace we need to get through it. Those who are walking by faith in God will come out of it even better than when they went in.

If you are hurting right now due to a loss in your life, I want to tell you that a new beginning is in front of you. Trust and praise God like David did. What Satan intends for your harm, God can turn around for your good!

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For the word of God is living and active and full of power [making it operative, energizing, and effective]. It is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating as far as the division of the soul and spirit [the completeness of a person], and of both joints and marrow [the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and judging the very thoughts and intentions of the heart. — Hebrews 4:12

When people ask me where to start reading the Bible, I tell them there’s really no wrong place to start. You can study anything that’s going to help you.

When I first started studying the Word, I didn’t have very good relationships because I didn’t really understand what love was. So I studied the subject of love, and I learned that it’s more than just a gooey feeling. It’s a decision you make about how you’re going to treat people.

By studying what the Bible says about love, I learned how to love. Then my life began to change.

Whatever you’re dealing with, you can find scriptures about it by using a concordance. For example, if you’re dealing with anger or fear, flip to the concordance in the back of your Bible and locate those words to see which scriptures talk about those issues. Ask the Holy No matter where you start, remember that the Word is alive and God wants to speak to your heart today!

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Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost [of sinners], Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example or pattern for those who would believe in Him for eternal life.— 1 Timothy 1:16

Marriages are not as good as they could be when someone holds on to offenses and hurts that their spouse has caused. I know it’s difficult to completely open yourself up when you’ve been hurt, but nobody can promise that loving someone won’t hurt. In fact, you can’t really love without being willing to be hurt. It’s not possible.

Real love shows mercy and forgives. Love keeps giving the other person another chance. Love is willing to keep trusting them over and over again, expecting them to do the right thing the next time, believing the best of them.

I realize there might be big hurts in your marriage, along with little things you deal with daily. Still, you need to decide to let go of its irritating hold on you. Then, pray and lean on God for the grace and strength to truly forgive.

If you’re struggling with unforgiveness in your marriage, ask the Lord to reveal what has caused you to feel bitterness or resentment. You may be surprised at what He reveals to you, but when you see the truth, decide to let go of the offense. Decide to forgive your spouse and walk in patience as you treat them with God’s amazing, unconditional love.

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May the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the steadfastness and patience of Christ.— 2 Thessalonians 3:5

Picture your life as a jumble of shoestrings all tied up in knots, each shoestring a different color. Each knot represents a problem, and the process of untangling those knots and straightening out those problems is going to take a bit of time and effort. It took a long time to tie all those knots, and it will take some time to straighten them all out.

In our modern, instantaneous society, we tend to jump from one thing to another, but God never gets in a hurry. He never quits or runs out of patience. He will deal with us about one particular thing, and then He will let us rest for a while—but not too long. Soon He will come back and begin to work on something else. He will continue until, one by one, our knots are all untied.

If it sometimes seems that you’re not making any progress, it’s because the Lord is untying your knots one at a time. Let His patience develop in you, and sooner or later, you will see victory in your life and experience the freedom you have wanted for so long.

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This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall read [and meditate on] it day and night, so that you may be careful to do [everything] in accordance with all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will be successful. — Joshua 1:8

God tells us that the more time we spend meditating on and speaking His Word, the more we will see the benefits in our everyday lives and even have a closer relationship with Him. He even promises we’ll be prosperous and successful! (See Joshua 1:8).

I can testify to this because I have made it through many trials and even devastating times by believing and confessing the Word of God over my life.

There’s something powerful that happens when we speak His Word out loud. It’s the way we learn to purposely think right thoughts, especially when we make the Scriptures personal confessions of faith.

It’s great to read the Word and receive it in your heart, but when you confess it out loud, you actively interact with what God says and release its power into your life.

I encourage you to spend time reading and meditating on God’s Word, lining your thoughts up with it. But I also urge you to speak the Word. You can make up your mind to work toward changing your life by saying what God says. Read His Word and speak it over your circumstances today.

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Be merciful (responsive, compassionate, tender) just as your [heavenly] Father is merciful. — Luke 6:36

It’s the most outrageous thing. The more I think about it, the more amazed I am. It gives blessings that are undeserved and withholds punishment when it is deserved. It’s absolutely the greatest gift you can give someone.

This gift is called mercy. See, Jesus came to earth and gave us mercy, so we need to learn to give mercy to others.

By Christ’s example, we’re taught to love and pray for our enemies. We’re taught to be friendly to those who do not treat us as we would like to be treated. We are told to give to and care for the poor and helpless who will never be able to pay us back.

We can give to people who will give us gifts in return. But we’re more blessed when we choose to give to those who cannot pay us back—that’s giving mercy.

The greatest gift you can give God is to become more like Jesus. You can do that by treating others the way He has treated you. Give those around you the greatest gift they could ever receive from you: mercy.

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And He said to them, Be careful what you are hearing. The measure [of thought and study] you give [to the truth you hear] will be the measure [of virtue and knowledge] that comes back to you–and more [besides] will be given to you who hear.— Mark 4:24 (AMPC)

If you’re a believer, you probably think some Scripture-based thoughts throughout each day, but think about this: Are you mixing them with negative thoughts or just any random thoughts that come into your mind?

For most of my life, I simply thought about whatever fell into my head. Much of what was in my head was either lies Satan was telling me or just plain nonsense.

Read Mark 4:24. It tells us the more time we spend thinking about the Word, the more power and ability we will have to walk in it. It also says the more we read and listen to the Word, the more revelation we will receive to understand it.

In the flesh we are lazy and want to receive from God without any effort on our own part, but that’s not the way it works. You will only get out of the Word what you are willing to put into it.

I encourage you to make a decision to meditate on God’s Word every day, because every moment you spend absorbing it, the more virtue and knowledge you will receive from God.

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