It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God’s love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong]. — 1 Corinthians 13:5 (AMPC)

We all get hurt sometimes, and it’s vitally important to learn how to forgive quickly so we can be spiritually strong and healthy. For example, if someone has hurt you, don’t spend the next 10 years of your life hurting yourself by hanging on to that offense. Most likely, the other person isn’t even thinking about you, while you dwell on the incident for years. That only hurts one person—you.

When we walk in unforgiveness, we try to “keep score,” viewing ourselves as better than the other person.

Back in the early days of our marriage, when Dave and I were fussing and fuming at each other, I would bring up stuff from the past that he couldn’t possibly remember and Dave would say, “Where do you keep all that stuff?” Well, I had a place, and it was all in there eating at me. And every new thing Dave did wrong was added to this list until it became a bitter giant in my heart.

Thank God I’ve learned a better way to live! When we walk in God’s love, we find freedom by keeping “no account” of wrongs done to us. If you’re hurting from the pain of unforgiveness today, ask God to help you stop keeping score. You can let go of your bitterness today.

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There is nothing better for a man than that he should eat and drink and make himself enjoy good in his labor. Even this, I have seen, is from the hand of God. — Ecclesiastes 2:24 (AMPC)

Enjoyment is the fuel we need to reach the finish line of an endeavor with a good attitude. We may drive ourselves to finish, but somewhere along the way we will probably become bitter and get a chip on our shoulder if we don’t lighten up and take time to celebrate the journey.

Too many people work constantly and stress themselves out, feeling guilty about enjoying and celebrating life when God has clearly ordained and commanded both labor and enjoyment. Ecclesiastes 2:24 says that it’s good for us to relax and enjoy ourselves in the midst of hard work.

Our thinking has been warped in this area. Satan has managed to deceive us, and by doing so he succeeds in keeping people weary and worn-out, feeling resentful and taken advantage of because of excessive work and responsibility.

We need times of refreshment and recreation as well as work and accomplishment. You should be diligent in whatever task God has placed in front of you, but make sure you find a healthy balance by learning to reward yourself and celebrate your progress. God thinks you are worth it!

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Let them not depart from your sight; keep them in the center of your heart. For they are life to those who find them, healing and health to all their flesh. — Proverbs 4:21-22 (AMPC)

The Bible is no ordinary book. The words within its pages are like medicine to your soul. It has the power to change your life because there is life in the Word!

When you discover the power and truth of God’s Word, you will begin to see changes in your life that only this truth can bring. You will also learn how to recognize the lies that the enemy tries to bring against you.

If you are just starting to study the Bible or feel intimidated by it, don’t think you have to read it all at once or understand everything right away. Be patient with yourself. The important thing is that you start somewhere and stay determined to stick with it. Because every time you study the Bible and pay attention to what you’re reading, you’re learning something.

Proverbs 4:20 (AMPC) says, My son attend to my words… This is important to understand because attending is more than just reading—it means to meditate on the Scripture or roll it around over and over in your mind.

As we spend time reading and meditating on the Word of God and learn to agree with it above all else, we will be filled with the life and healing power of God.

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Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above; it comes down from the Father of lights [the Creator and Sustainer of the heavens], in whom there is no variation [no rising or setting] or shadow cast by His turning [for He is perfect and never changes].— James 1:17

When we experience terrible tragedy, being angry with God is quite common. People frequently ask, “If God is good, all-powerful, and full of love for us, why didn’t He stop the thing that caused the pain?”

This is where Satan seeks to build a wall between God and the hurting person. He seizes the opportunity to say, “God isn’t good, and He can’t be trusted.” However, we know according to the Word of God, the truth is not in Satan—he is a liar and the father of lies.

Read James 1:17. Everything good comes from God. God is good, and He cannot be anything else. Furthermore, He doesn’t change. He’s perfectly stable, faithful and consistent. He is good—all the time.

It’s obvious that God doesn’t always stop tragedy, and we honestly don’t always know why bad things happen. First Corinthians 13:12 says …Now I know in part (imperfectly)… . We have to remember that faith will always require us to accept unanswered questions, and we must come to the place where we’re satisfied to know the One who knows all, and place our trust in Him.

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If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love [for others growing out of God’s love for me], then I have become only a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal [just an annoying distraction]. — 1 Corinthians 13:1

Early in our marriage, God had to teach me that truly loving Dave meant that sometimes I would have to make sacrifices. Up until that point, I only wanted my way and was very much like the noisy gong mentioned in 1 Corinthians 13:1.

Love is the highest form of maturity. It often requires a sacrificial gift. If love doesn’t require some sort of sacrifice on our part, we probably don’t really love the other person at all. If there is no sacrifice in our actions, we are most likely reacting to something nice they did for us, or simply pretending to be kind to gain some control over them.

It is important to understand that true love gives of itself. So your decisions should always have your spouse’s interests at heart. When you do, you’re giving of yourself.

God’s desire is for husbands and wives to love each other sacrificially and unconditionally. This means you don’t get your way all of the time. But the good news is, when a husband and wife sacrifice their selfish desires, they will have a triumphant marriage!

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You [spiritually] blind guides, who strain out a gnat [consuming yourselves with miniscule matters] and swallow a camel [ignoring and violating God’s precepts]! — Matthew 23:24

It’s hard to believe how many denominations and independent churches there are today, yet there’s only one Bible, one message.

But over the years, because of pride and narrow-mindedness, people have felt the need to develop a myriad of churches and church groups—even different versions of the Bible—to support different interpretations of what they believe the Bible says.

I’ve come to realize that none of us are 100 percent correct. Most of the things we fight over are petty. In Matthew 23:24, Jesus told the Pharisees that they strained out a gnat but swallowed a camel. They had gotten so picky about the little things that it prevented them from dealing with the truly important things.

If we allow prejudice, hatred and division to have a place in our lives, we’ll be powerless to stop them. Only agreement and unity in the love of Christ will bring the power to defeat prejudice. And the love of God is always greater than critical, divisive attitudes toward others.

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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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