A life of discipline will bring God's peace

**Joyce Meyer

Too many things compete for our limited resources of attention, energy and time.

I used to complain to God about my schedule being absolutely insane. I would cry, "God, how could anyone be expected to do all that I have to do?"

Then it hits me: I was the one who made my schedule and nobody could change it but me! I could no longer spend time wishing things were different because wishing would not change anything.

God showed me that I had to discipline myself in order to simplify my life.

You will have to do that too if you want life to slow down. Ask the Holy Spirit for help. He can guide you, showing you what commitments to make and which ones to turn down.

It may be tough at first, especially if you have not been disciplined in the past, but the rewards of order and restraint are worth the effort. The Bible says that discipline brings peaceable fruit. Begin disciplining yourself today, and you can begin to enjoy the peaceful life that God has waiting for you.

Prayer starter: Lord, I want to experience the peaceful fruit of a well-disciplined life. When I am tempted to over commit and stretch myself too far, help me to slow down and only do the things You want me to do.

Hebrews 12:11

No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

Learn to trust God's plan for you

**Joyce Meyer

You can simplify your life by learning to develop trust in God. Far too often, we do not allow ourselves to trust. Maybe your trust has been betrayed too many times in the past, or maybe you are just a very independent person. Even so, it is so critical to learn to trust God.

It is easy to get stressed out and run-down trying to make your life work on your own, but that never works. And God's plan is always better than your own. The person who trusts God knows that His way is the best.

Now trust would not just magically happen. Trust grows as we take steps of faith and experience God's faithfulness. You have to tell your doubt, your fear, your insecurity, or maybe even your fierce independence to make way for a life of trusting in God. When you do that, you would not have to struggle so much to make your life work.

Trusting God brings a supernatural rest to our souls, allowing us to live simply and freely, the way He wants us to live. So even when it does not make sense, trust Him, and experience His freedom and rest.

Prayer starter: God, Your ways are better than mine and I know that trusting in my own strength will get me nowhere. I place my trust in You. Even when it does not make sense to me, I choose to trust You, knowing You will make Your plans come to pass.

Psalm 37:5

Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this

Experience a new beginning

**Joyce Meyer

The Bible is filled with stories about people who experienced new beginnings. Moses became a leader after being a shepherd for 40 years. Paul hated Christ until God renewed him and made him the greatest apostle of all time.

When we receive Jesus as our Savior, it is the ultimate new beginning. We become new creatures with an opportunity to learn a new way of living. But the first step to experiencing that new life is believing that it is available to you.

Ephesians 4:23 says we must be constantly renewed in our minds and attitudes. It is easy to read about great people in the Bible and think that you are nothing like them, but when you start to think that, you need to renew your mind right away.

Choose to think according to God's Word, not how you feel. Receive His love and experience a new beginning. Life will become so much sweeter if you live with an attitude that says "God is completely giving me a new beginning and there are greater things ahead."

Prayer starter: Lord, I renew my mind in You. I know that You have a new beginning and a calling for me just like you did for Moses and Paul. I receive it today, believing that You can bring it to pass.

Ephesians 4:23

to be made new in the attitude of your minds.

Give Him your ashes

**Joyce Meyer

When we let God take our messes and turn them into miracles, the Father has the ability to use our mistakes for our good if we will only trust Him.

Isaiah 61:3 says He will give us "beauty instead of ashes," but I find that many people want to hold on to their ashes, the cinders of the past, as reminders of their shortcomings and failures. I encourage you to let go of your ashes and reach for something new.

Too many people live in the past, feeling like they will never have another chance. Do you need a second chance? Ask God for a second chance or a third, fourth or fifth, whatever you need. God is full of mercy and long-suffering. His loving-kindness never fails or comes to an end. The Bible says that He has removed your transgressions from you, so you do not have to hand on to them anymore.

Jesus came to lift burdens, but you must be willing to let them go and believe He is greater than your mistakes. Give Him your ashes today.

Prayer starter: God, I know it does not do me any good to hang on to the past when You lovingly stand before me with a fresh chance, so I let go of my ashes. I give them to You, excited to see the beauty that You will bring from them.

Psalm 103:12

as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

Trust Him through the process

**Joyce Meyer

We often think of trusting God for things we need or want, but a true relationship of trust in God extends beyond trusting Him just to get something. We need to learn to trust Him through the process of attaining those things we desire.

There was a time in my life when I focused intensely on trusting God for things, saying, 'I want this, God,' and 'I need such-and-such, God.' He began to show me that getting all those things was not the most important issue in my life.

He wanted to teach me how to trust Him enough to walk through situations with stability and with a good attitude on a consistent basis. He needed me to learn that He may not always rescue us when we want to get  out of circumstances, but He is always with us as we walk through them.

God does not always deliver us from everything when we think He should, but He is always with us. Today, instead of focusing on just the end result, realize that God is with you now. He is near to you, so trust Him to walk with you, so trust Him to walk with you through the process.

Prayer starter: God, I am so glad that You are with me now. I do not just trust You to give me things, but I trust You through the process of life.

Psalm 23:4

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

Follow the little promptings

**Joyce Meyer

The Holy Spirit always wants to lead us through life, but sometimes we get so focused on seemingly "big" issues that we do not realize how much He speaks in small promptings every day.

I was on my way home one day and intended to stop and get a cup of coffee, when I had s strong impression that I should call my secretary and ask if she wanted a cup too. When I called, she said, 'I was just standing here thinking, I would love a good cup of coffee right now.'

You see, God wanted to give her the desire of her heart, and He wanted to work through me. I did not hear a loud voice or see an angel or have a vision. I simply had an inner sensing that I should offer her a cup of coffee.

In the same way, God wants to bless the people in your life. I encourage you today to keep your heart sensitive to God's voice. Follow the little promptings. He will speak to your heart and lead you in the way you should go.

Prayer starter: Holy Spirit, I choose today to quiet myself so that I can hear Your little promptings. Show me ways that I can bless others.

Isaiah 30:21

Whatever you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it."

move past regret and make new choices

**Joyce Meyer

Wrong choices cause regret, and when we experience regret we need to deal with it and let it teach us how to make better choices in the future.

I understand firsthand that wrong choices lead to regret. I remember a time several years ago when I looked at myself and saw a noticeable difference between my husband, Dave, and me, because he has exercised all his life and is healthy, strong and in good physical shape.

Initially, I merely regretted that I was not as strong as Dave, but then I realized I could do something about it. I now exercise regularly and have been amazed by the positive difference.

The Bible says that with God, you are a "new creation." You do not have to live in your old ways, but you can now make new, better choices empowered by the Holy Spirit. If you find yourself regretting some of the unwise choices you have made in the past, do not be deceived into thinking it is too late to do anything about it. Just start doing what is right and then stick with it.

As you start making better choices, you will come to experience a life in which you enjoy God's blessings every day.

Prayer starter: Holy Spirit, I know that I have been made a new creation. I do not want to live in regret about the past. Help me to make good choices so I can enjoy the future You have for me.

2 Corinthians 5:17

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

Choose God's standards, not the world's

**Joyce Meyer

Living above society's moral decline involves the choices we make regarding our conversations, the way we dress, what we read, and the TV shows and movies we watch. It also has to do with the level of integrity with which we live our personal lives, interact with other people and conduct ourselves in our businesses or professions.

As Christians, we need to encourage one another to live by godly standards and resist the pull of the world. A well-known quote offers some good advice: 'watch your thoughts, for they become words. Watch your words, for they become actions. Watch your actions, for they become habits. Watch your habits, for they become character. Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.'

One of God's great gifts to mankind is the power of choice. If we want to enjoy the blessings He has for us, we need to make lifestyle choices that align with His Word and are consistent with the values of His Word, not choices reflecting the constantly eroding values of the world.

I urge you to make a decision to serve God wholly, putting Him first in everything you do.

Prayer starter: God, I do not want to live by the world's standards. I put You first in my life, because I know that Your ways are the best.

Psalm 1:1

Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.

God's supernatural favor

**Joyce Meyer

There is a distinction between natural favor and supernatural favor. Natural favor must be earned, but supernatural favor is a gracious gift from God.

First Samuel 2:7 says, "The Lord makes poor and makes rich; He brings low and He lifts up." A perfect example of this is found in the life of Esther. God raised her up out of obscurity to become the queen of the entire land. He gave her favor with everyone she met, including the king.

Esther drew upon that favor to save herself and her people from being murdered by the evil Haman. She may have been afraid to go to the king and ask him to intervene, but Esther knew she had favor with God and pressed on with complete confidence in Him.

Like Esther, we should live with the freedom and liberty that comes from living in God's favor. Regardless of the circumstances that come into your life, believe God for supernatural favor.

Despite how hopeless things may seem, God can lift you up. If your life is in His hands, the light of the Lord shines upon you.

Prayer starter: God, I do not rely on natural favor. Instead, I want to live in Your supernatural favor. With my life in Your hands, I know You can lift me up.

1 Samuel 2:7

The Lord sens poverty and wealthy; he humbles and he exalts.

Living life free of strife

**Joyce Meyer


Strife is one of the main weapons the enemy used against Christians. I believe there are three things that open us up to a spirit of strife.


1. Our lips: wrong words spoken at the wrong time can certainly start a firestorm. The more wrong words we pour on the fire, the bigger it gets. One way to stop a fire is to remove the fuel.


2. Our pride: Although wrong words may opens us up to strife, it is a proud heart that refuses to be quiet in order to have peace. Pride demands that we have the last word, but the word says it will lead to destruction (see Proverbs 16:18).


3. Our opinions: We can often get into strife by trying to convince others of our own opinions. When we realize we have much to learn and stop passing out our opinions, we will begin to gain the knowledge we need.


These are the three biggest areas that Satan used to infiltrate our lives with strife. Make a decision to honor God and others by resisting strife and instead pursuing unity and understanding.


Prayer starter: Holy Spirit, help me to stay on guard against strife. I give You my words and my opinions. I desire to walk strife-free in my relationships with others.

Proverbs 17:14

Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam; so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.

Taking responsibility

**Joyce Meyer

When life or people disappoint us, we have a responsibility to remain stable and continue with God's purpose for our lives. Consider Psalm 94:12-13. Notice that I does not say that God keeps us calm. It says He gives us power to keep ourselves calm. We are partners with God. His part is to give us ability and our part is to be responsible.

Responsibility means 'to respond to the ability we have.' An irresponsible person wants God to do everything while he does nothing except follow his feelings. But do not let your feelings run the show. Declare out loud right now, "I have attended my last pity party." I can promise you: in the end you will feel much better about yourself if you take responsibility than if you avoid it.

God cares for you, but He would not do your part. He enables you to do it, but let me emphasize that He would not do it for you! I dare you to stand firm, take responsibility and begin working with God to have the blessed life He has planned for you.

Prayer starter: God, Your Word says that You have given me the ability to remain calm. I receive that today. I would not let my feelings run my life, and I will be responsible and respond the way You want me to.

Psalm 94:12-13

Blessed is the man you discipline, O Lord, the man you teach from your law; 

you grant him relief from days of trouble, till a pit is dug for the wicked.

You are only accountable to God

**Joyce Meyer


Too many people never get around to fulfilling God's purpose for their life because they are so busy keeping everyone else happy. The world is filled with people who think they know what you should be doing with your life.


But the Bible says you will give an account to God, not anyone else, of how you have lived. So if you are not already doing so, you need to start living in a way that will enable you to stand before Him without shame.


Are you darling enough to follow your heart rather than the crowd? Are you focused even when many voices try to draw you away from your purpose?


There are two kinds of people in the world: those who wait for something to happen and those who make things happen. God has called you to do great things for His Kingdom, do not shy away from it.


You need to be intentional. You need to live life on purpose. Do not just wait around to see what everyone else is going to do and then follow the crowd. Stir yourself up, make a decision, and get going!


Prayer starter: Lord, I only want to live my life to please You, not others. I boldly step into the purpose You have for me. I will not sit back, but I will purposefully live my life for You.

Romans 14:12

So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.

Filled with all peace and joy

**Joyce Meyer


I went through a particularly difficult time several years ago when there was absolutely no joy or peace in my life. Every time I made a mistake, I was quick to condemn myself, angry that I could not be the "perfect Christian."


Then one day, I came across Romans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing... That was it. I got it!


I realized that I had plunged into doubt and unbelief, allowing the devil to torment me with negativity, anger, and impatience. In the process, I had forgotten that believing in God and trusting His Word brings peace and hope and overcomes my weakness.


God's Word gave me the answer. Jesus loved me so much that He not only forgave all my sins from the past but also looked ahead and forgave me for those moments of weakness when I would fail in the future. I do not have to allow Satan to sneak in with questions or unbelief, and you do not either.


Know today that peace, hope and joy are right in front of you. Go to His Word and let it stir up your faith.


Prayer starter: Lord, every time I start to believe the enemy's lies, remind me of the truth in Your Word. By believing in You, I receive peace and joy today.

Romans 15:13

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

What is faith?

**Joyce Meyer


Faith is a word that we use a lot, but sometimes we can make it too complicated. Faith simply means 'belief or absolute trust'; the word also implies loyalty and commitment.


Faith is not a huge, complicated concept that we have to stress over. Genuine faith in God simply acknowledges that the message of Jesus' death and resurrection is absolutely true. It happens when we say "Not only does it make sense to me, but I am willing to stake my life on it."


The Bible says that the uncompromisingly righteous shall live by faith and faithfulness. One way to think of the uncompromisingly righteous is to think of those who are made right by the death of Jesus Christ on the cross.


Through faith we are made right, and God treats us as His own beloved children.


Today, I encourage you to get back to the basics of faith, Know that when you put your faith in Him, you are made right. Live by your trust in the God who reaches out to you with loving and open arms, ready to receive you and love you just as you are.


Prayer starter: Lord, I am so thankful that I can put my faith in You and become 'uncompromisingly righteous.' Today, I live by faith in You.

Habakkuk 2:4

See, he is puffed up; his desired are not upright - but the righteous will live by his faith - 

Thankful in the midst of suffering

**Joyce Meyer


The Bible encourages us to always be thankful. that is easy when God answers prayer and delivers us from problems. But is is not always easy when things go wrong. So how can we remain thankful in the midst of suffering?


We have two choices to make. The first is to praise God in spite of what is going on in our lives. Or another way to say that is, in the midst of our troubles and hardships, we can rejoice over the things that are not wrong in our lives.


The second choice is to ask, "God, what can I learn from this? What do You want to teach me through this so that I may be closer to You and rejoice more fully in Your goodness?" Those are not easy questions, and the answers are often hard to hear.


Sometimes we can only grasp the important lessons in our lives when we go through difficult times. Thank God that the hard times will lead you to better things.


In the midst of suffering, give thanks to God and trust Him to lead you to bigger and better things.


Prayer starter: God, I am thankful for Your love and Your presence. Forgive me for grumbling when things go wrong, and remind me of how many things go right in my life. I want to rejoice in You always.

1 Thessalonians 5:18

give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus

Your three best weapons

**Joyce Meyer


Through careful strategy and cunning deceit, Satan attempts to wage war against you and keep you in a mindset of defeat. But God has given you spiritual weapons to use against him. Here are the main three spiritual weapons you can use to fight off the enemy:


1. God's Word: Receive it through preaching, teaching, reading and private Bible study. Continue in the Word until it becomes revelation given by inspiration of the Holy Spirit.


2. Praise: This defeats the devil faster and more efficiently than other battle plan, but it must be genuine heart-praise, not just lip service or a religious ritual.


3. Prayer: Prayer is a relationship with the Godhead. It is communication with God, asking Him for help or talking with Him about whatever is on your heart. To have an effective prayer life, we must develop an intimate, personal relationship with the Father. Know that He loves you and that He wants to help you.


There is a war going on, but God is fighting on your side and has given you the weapons you need. Use them to send Satan running!


Prayer starter: Lord, thank You so much for giving me the spiritual weapons I need to fight my enemy. With You help, I know that I can win the battle today!

2 Corinthians 10:3

For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does.

Stir yourself up!

**Joyce Meyer


God's love is unconditional and everlasting. I remember how amazed and excited I was when He revealed His love to me. I felt like I was going to burst!


But after awhile, I got used to the fact that God loves me, and I did not feel the same passion.


Are you experiencing the same thing? If so, I believe there is something you can do about it.


Paul told Timothy to stir himself up, to fan the flame and rekindle the embers of the fire he once had. Paul's message to Timothy is God's message to you today: Stir yourself up! Stop living life being tired of the "same old, same old."


We need to remember this: Passion is a decision about how we will approach life before it becomes a feeling.


So make a decision today to wake up every morning excited about the relationship you have with your Creator. Stir yourself up and live amazed by Him!


Prayer starter: God, I want to always be amazed by You! I will not live without passion. Knowing You is amazing, and I choose now to life with passionate about my relationship with You.

2 Timothy 1:6

For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.

The true test of spiritual maturity

**Joyce Meyer


We are to have genuine, pure, fervent love for others above everything else we do. If we can manage only one thing in our lives, it should be to love other people.


Many people think great faith is the number one sign of spiritual maturity. But I believe that walking in love is the true test of spiritual maturity, and I know that it energizes our faith walk.


The Bible teaches that faith works through love. Galatians 5:6 says that what really counts is "faith activated and energized and expressed and working through love." Love is not talk or theory; it is action.


Trying to walk in faith without love is like having a flashlight with no battery. We must keep our love battery charged at all times, otherwise our faith will not work! I believe Christians can run into problems when we do not diligently pursue walking in love as a vital part of our faith and relationship with God.


So pursue a life of love, and watch your faith strengthen and grow. When God's love comes first, everything else follows.


Prayer starter: God, I know my faith is useless without love. Help me live a life overflowing with Your love. Guide me as I receive Your love and give Your love to others.

Galatians 5:6

For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.

Be a true worshiper

**Joyce Meyer


Worship is so much more than just singing songs. It is a condition of the heart and a state of mind. We can even worship God passionately without singing a single note. Our worship for God is born in our hearts, it fills our thoughts, and it is expressed through our mouths and through our bodies.


The word often thinks of worship as "religion," which could not be further from the biblical concept of worship. It is about a personal relationship, spiritual intimacy and passionate expressions of devotion from people who love God with all their hearts. This is true worship.


The Bible says that God is seeking those who worship Him 'in spirit and in truth.'


I find it interesting that He does not want just anybody to worship Him. He wants true and genuine people. He does not want to be worshiped out of fear, obligation or religion.


True worship is a result of intimacy with God. Worship God today with your whole heart, and be a worshiper in spirit and in truth!


Prayer starter: Lord, I do not just want to offer You lip service. Instead, I give my life to You as a true worshiper, intimately connected with You. You are so good to me and I want to worship You 'in spirit and in truth.'

John 4:23

Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.

Pursue a life of holiness

**Joyce Meyer


I think we need to be a little more careful than we are with how we live. Not that we have to be so careful that we live in fear, but careful in a godly way, not a legalistic way.


Because if we are not careful about who our friends are, what television programs and movies we watch, what kind of books we read, what kind of music we listen to, how we spend our money, and what we do with our time, we could end up living wasted lives.


As Christians, we must pursue holiness and realize that we are sanctified, which means we are set apart for God's use. In fact, the minute we accept Christ as our Savior, we are sanctified by the Holy Spirit and set apart for a God-given purpose. And if we are not fulfilling our purpose or if we are not pursuing our purpose, we are going to feel empty and frustrated.


I urge you today to pursue your purpose of holiness. When faced with tricky decisions, ask God what to do and choose the path of holiness that He has laid out for you.


Prayer starter: Holy Spirit, alert me before I do something that would pull me away from a life of holiness. with Your guidance, I want to live carefully, following the path of holiness You have for me.

1 Peter 1:15

But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do

God knows we can't be perfect

**Joyce Meyer


There are many people who are so afraid of making a mistake that they do not do anything. Instead, sit around saying, "What if I am wrong? What if I miss God?"


Do you know what God told me one time? He said, "If you miss me, I will find you."


If we are wandering off somewhere and not sure where we are, we can just lift up our hands and say, "Jesus, come and get me! I am confused. I think I made a wrong decision."


God knows we cannot be perfect, so He sent His son as a perfect sacrifice for us. Now we are pressing toward the mark of perfection. In Philippians 3, the apostle talks about pressing forward to what lies ahead and forgetting about the past.


God is calling you to press forward today. Stop living in fear of making mistakes, because everyone makes mistakes, period. God is not asking you to not make mistakes. He is calling you to press forward, trusting Him to lead you. He is asking you to call upon Him. Do not live in fear of your imperfection. Live with faith in God's perfect plan for you.


Prayer starter: God, I do not want to live paralyzed by fear of my imperfection and my mistakes. I know that instead, I can call out to You, and You will help me press forward to the mark of perfection.

Philippians 3:12

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.

You can come over anytime

**Joyce Meyer


God has given us permission to fearlessly, confidently, and boldly draw near to His throne of grace. In fact, we are encouraged in Ephesians 3:12 to approach Him freely.


This means we can go into the presence of God anytime we feel like it. We can go 200 times a day if we want to go, with an "in and out" type of privilege. God does not even tell us we have to knock on the door or wait for someone to say, "Come in."


Suppose you have a friend who says, "You know what? You can come over anytime you want to come. You do not even have to knock because you are welcome anytime, day or night. Just come on in!"


Now just think...God is saying that to you, unreservedly, which means you do not have to be careful or hesitate or wonder if you have worn out your welcome. It means even if you make some mistakes or do things you should not do, you can repent of your sins, be cleansed in the blood of Jesus, and go boldly into His presence.


Prayer starter: Lord, how wonderful it is to be able to enter Your presence anytime. I am so grateful for this privilege, and thank You for encouraging me to come.

Ephesians 3:12

In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.

The victory we have in Jesus

**Joyce Meyer


The Bible says that Jesus experienced death for us. So you and I do not have to experience eternal death because He has paid the penalty for our sin and given us the gift of eternal life. Now that is something to rejoice about!


Because of Christ's resurrection and victory over death, what happens when you wake up in the morning? I believe that when Christians put their feet on the floor in the morning, hell ought to shake. Demons should tremble when they realize we are up!


That is exactly what will happen when we realize who we are in Christ and understand the authority we have in Him. We are soldiers in the army of God. We have authority in Him!


Jesus has defeated sin and death. Now we need to consistently walk in the authority and victory that He provides for us. Then you will be extremely dangerous to the enemy of God.


Prayer starter: God, thank You for the victory I have in You. Every day, help me to further understand the price You paid for me, so that I can walk in all the authority and victory that You have for me.

Hebrew 2:9

But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

The key to possessing your promised land

**Joyce Meyer


God wants to lead you into your promised land...after all, you have been recreated in Christ, born anew, that you might live the good life that God prearranged for you. But to follow God into that life, He will have to prepare you first, and that means some things will need to change.


Now, do not be afraid of the word change; it just means that you stop doing some things you have been doing and start doing some things you have not been doing. For example, stop thinking negative thoughts and start thinking positively, stop settling in your comfort zone and step out of the boat, stop procrastinating and start taking the opportunities that arise.


It is not enough to just read about and talk about the Promise Land. Decide that you are going to possess your promised land. God is good; He will lead you there. Just be willing to follow and accept the positive changes that God wants to bring to your life as He prepares you to be a blessing to others.


Prayer starter: Holy Spirit, show me the changes I need to make in order to possess my promised land. Thank You for preparing me to be a blessing to others and fulfill the destiny You have for me.

Ephesians 2:10

For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

You must develop patience

**Joyce Meyer


When you and I say to God, "Change me, " we better know what we are saying because we are not just going to wake up different the next morning. Instead, what God is going to do is give us an opportunity, through opposition, to grow as we change.


James 1 tells us how important it is to have patience when we are changing and facing opposition. Patience is a fruit of the Spirit that only develops and grows under trial, and it is something we need. Scripture tells us that when we have it, we are perfect and entire, lacking nothing. However, there is just no way to get it without going through something to receive it.


If we really want to be victorious Christians who serve God and make a difference in the world, then we are going to have to go through some challenging things. The devil will try to scare you off, but God can see you through any challenge.


So today, choose to let God work through you, even in the face of opposition. As your patience grows and develops, you will step into a life of great victory.


Prayer starter: Lord, I want You to change me, and I know that means I will have to go through challenges. Give me Your strength to endure and be steadfast when I am going through trials so I can have patience and be fully developed in Christ.

James 1:4

Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

You are no surprise to God

**Joyce Meyer


Do you ever feel like God is disappointed with you? I used to feel this way until one day He said, "You know, Joyce, you are no surprise to Me. I knew what I was getting when I got you."


Think about it! God knows the end from the beginning, and all the days of our life are written in His book. Every decision we are ever going to make, good or bad, God already knew them before we ever showed up on planet earth. He already knows today every word in our mouth that is still unuttered, even what we are going to say a year from now.


Sometimes we go around thinking that God is so disappointed with us all the time. It is true that we make mistakes. And we are not supposed to be lighthearted about them, we need to take them seriously. But in spite of our mistakes, God has hope for us and knows that He can change us if we will stay close to Him.


God is not disappointed. He is full of hope where we are concerned! He believes in us more than we do ourselves.


Prayer starter: Lord, Your hope for me is so encouraging and inspiring. Even when I do not believe in myself, I know that You do, and that gives me the strength to overcome my mistakes and follow You.

Jeremiah 1:5

"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations."

What are you hoping for?

**Joyce Meyer


I have a question for you: What are you hoping for? What are you expecting in life? Are you looking for something good to happen or are you expecting to be disappointed?


So many people are feeling hopeless these days. However, Jesus did not die for us to be hopeless. He died so that we could be full of hope.


The devil wants to steal your hope and he will lie to you. He will tell you that nothing good can happen in your life or that the things you care about would not last. If you are struggling with a difficult situation, he will tell you it will never end. But you have to stay full of hope and remember that the devil is a liar. God can change everything!


Our Father is good, and He has good plans for your life. If you will maintain your hope, especially in the midst of troubled and uncertain times, He has promised you "double for your trouble". So refuse to give up hope. Start expecting God to do something, something good!


Prayer starter: Lord, my hope is in You. Satan is a liar and I will not listen to him and lose hope. I expect You to do things in my life.

Zechariah 9:12

Return to your fortress, O prisoners of hope; even now I announce that I will restore twice as much to you.

Follow the ark

**Joyce Meyer


Are you facing any new opportunities right now? Whatever those opportunities may be, it is always important to "follow the ark."


What do I mean by that? Well...sometimes we can hang on to old, stale situations in life, simply because they are familiar to us, and we are really just afraid of getting into uncharted territory. And then there are times we can sense something new ahead of us and we just want to step right into it, before it is God's time for us to do it.


In Joshua 3:3, God talks to Israel about following the ark of the covenant. The ark represents the anointing of God...the presence of God...the will of God. It is very important for us to learn to follow the will of God and not our own will or the will of others.


God has a plan for you and me, and the only way to see that plan unfold is to follow the ark, or the will of God, and not our flesh or other people or our emotions.


Remember today that whatever God's will is for your life, He will provide the way for you to accomplish it.


Prayer starter: God, like the Israelites, I know that I need to "follow the ark." My timing for the new opportunities does not matter...only Yours will matter. As I follow You, I know that You will make a way to bring Your plan for me to pass.

Joshua 3:3

giving orders to the people: "When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the priests, who are Levites, carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it.

We are called to enjoy God

**Joyce Meyer


We need to get comfortable with God. I do not mean we should be disrespectful, but that we do not have to be afraid of Him. In fact, I believe that the high call of every believer's life is to enjoy God. We are called to enjoy the Father because He is life and all life comes from Him, so we can't truly enjoy life if we do not enjoy God.


Sometimes we do not enjoy God's presence because we get all wrapped up in serving Him, discovering what gifts we have, and spending all our time working at our ministry. This happened to me. About five years into my ministry, God had to make me hit the brakes because I had become so proud of the work I was doing for him that I was no longer enjoying Him.


We have to be careful when we start getting proud of ourselves because of all the things we are doing. That is not what God's after. As our Father, God wants us to know and enjoy Him.


So let me ask you, are you proud f your works today? Or are you truly enjoying God?


Prayer starter: Father God, I want to enjoy You. Fellowshipping with You and being in Your presence is so wonderful. I lay aside my pride and humble myself before you so that I can find my purpose and joy in You alone.

1 Corinthians 8:6

yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.

The reason Jesus came

**Joyce Meyer


I want you to notice something about the verse above. Notice that we are told to draw near to God before we are told to stop sinning. 


There are so many people who have it backwards. They think they can never come to God, can never have a relationship with Him, and can never be a Christian because they have issues in their life that they are trying to overcome first. They are trying to get themselves all straightened out so they can be good enough to have a relationship with Him.


But that is wrong. The reason Jesus came is because we can never be good enough without Him. We have to have Jesus in our life. His death, His shed blood, paid for our sins, paid the debt that we owed.


There is no way we can be cleansed of sin until we draw near to God through the name of Jesus. God longs for you to come close to Him today. Do not stay away, believing the lie that you must clean yourself of sin first. Instead, go to God, already cleansed by the sacrifice Jesus made for you.


Prayer starter: God, I refuse to believe the lie that says that I have to be sinless before I can come to You. Coming to You through the blood of Your Son cleanses me of my sin. I refuse to live in shame and know that I can draw near to You now, receiving Your love and forgiveness.

James 4:8

Come near to God and He will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.