Giving must cost you something

**Joyce Meyer

I believe that in God's economy, nothing cheap is worth having. God gave His only Son to free us, and while we can never equal that sacrifice, we must give back to Him in a way that means something. King David said he would not give God something that cost him nothing. And I have learned that true giving is not giving until I can feel it.

Giving away the clothes and household items I am finished with may be a nice gesture, but it does not equal real giving. Real giving occurs when I give somebody something that I want to keep.

I am sure you had those testing times when God asks you to give away something you like. But when you consider how He gave His only Son for us because of His love for us, doesn't that make you want to give of yourself too?

The simple truth is this: We must give to be happy, and giving is not true giving if it does not cost us something.

Prayer starter: God, I want my giving to be meaningful. Tell me what and when You want me to give to help or just bless someone else. I want to give to others like You have given Your love to me.

2 Samuel 24:24

But the king replied to Araunah, "No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing." So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen and paid fifty shekels of silver for them.

The nature of God's love

**Joyce Meyer

Sometimes when life gets discouraging, the best thing we can do is remind ourselves of the nature of God's love.

One of the most beautiful things the Bible says is that while we were sinners, Christ died for us (see Romans 5:8). He did not wait for us to deserve His love. He loves us unconditionally. To be honest, that is hard for many of us to comprehend because we are so accustomed to having earn everything in life.

Because of His great, wonderful and intense love for us, God poured His life out for us freely. That is revolutionary love, real, revolutionary love that gives itself away because it can never be satisfied doing anything less.

It is God's unconditional love that draws us to Him, His amazing grace that erases our sin, and His powerful sacrifice that makes a way for us to enter His presence. His love will never quit, never give up, and never leave you. Whenever you feel down or depressed, remember the great love that God has for you.

Prayer starter: God, Your love overwhelms me. Even when I do not feel like it, I know that Your love never quits. You gave Your all for me, and I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that You love me.

Ephesians 2:4-5

But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were deaf in transgressions - it is by grace you have been saved.

Learn to forgive like Jesus

**Joyce Meyer

I once heard about a teenager who was drinking and caused an accident that killed a man's wife and child. The man knew God wanted him to forgive the young man who caused the accident, and through much prayer he was able to let the love of God flow through him.

That man knew how to forgive like Jesus. He understood that this young man was also hurting himself and needed healing.

When people hurt us, we should learn to look at what people have done to themselves instead of just looking at what they have done to us. Usually, when a person hurts someone else, he is probably hurting himself at least as much and is suffering some fallout as a result. That is why, as He hung on the cross in agony, Jesus said of His murderers, 'Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.'

That is incredible forgiveness. Let that inspire you today. We all need to seek to forgive like Jesus.

Prayer starter: Lord, when people hurts me, help me to see past my own pain and see their pain. Help me to love and forgive like Jesus.

Luke 23:34

Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.

Let people know they are infinitely valuable

**Joyce Meyer

I have discovered that most people we meet or come in contact with in our everyday lives do not have a sense of their infinite value as children of God. I think the devil works very hard to make people feel devalued and worthless, but we can neutralize the effect of his lies and insinuations by building up, encouraging and edifying people.

One way to do this is with a sincere compliment, which is one of the most valuable  gifts in this world. Offering a sincere compliment may seem like a small thing, but it gives tremendous strength to people who feel insecure or like they do not matter much.

I believe in having goals, and as I was working with God to develop good habits in the area of encouraging others, I challenged myself to compliment at least three people each day. I recommend that you do something similar to help you become an aggressive encourager.

The Bible says that God adopts as His children those who feel abandoned. Let us find those people and strive to build them up, making them feel valuable. Let us let them know that God loves them.

Prayer starter: Holy Spirit, show me the people who do not know that God loves them as His own children. Bring me across their path so that I can encourage them and make them feel valuable.

Psalm 27:10

Though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me.

Take down the 'Do not disturb' sign

**Joyce Meyer

I frequently stay in hotels during my ministry travels. When I am in my room, I usually put the 'Do Not Disturb' sign on the door so nobody will bother me. Hanging this sign on my hotel room door is acceptable. But putting it on my life is not.

Have you ever noticed that God does not always do things on our timetable or in ways that are convenient for us? Paul told Timothy that as a servant of God and a minister of the Gospel, he needed to fulfill his duties whether it was convenient for him or not.

I doubt Timothy was nearly as addicted to convenience as we are today. But if he needed to hear that, then I am sure we need to hear it frequently.

It is easy to put a "Do Not Disturb" sign over our hearts for fear that God's call will inconvenience us, but we miss out on so many great opportunities when we do this. We need to remember that whatever God asked us to do, it is always worth any inconvenience or difficulty we face in the process. And He will always make a way for us to accomplish His will when we are obedient to Him.

Prayer starter: God, I choose today to take down the 'Do Not Disturb' sign over my heart. Even if it inconveniences me, I want to obey You and do what You ask me to do.

2 Timothy 4:2

Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage - with great patience and careful instruction.

More than conquerors

**Joyce Meyer

God gives us dreams for the future, but sometimes those dreams can seem impossible. That is when fear starts to set in.

If you are determined to never give up on your dream, then you have to take chances, you have to be courageous. And you need to understand that courage is not the absence of fear; it is pressing forward when you feel afraid. So when you face situations that threaten or intimidate you, you do not need to pray as much for the fear to go away as for boldness and courage so you can move ahead in spite of the fear.

The spirit of fear will always try to keep you from going forward. The enemy has used fear for centuries to try to stop people, and he is not going to change his strategy now. But you can defeat fear, because you are more than a conqueror through Him who loves us.

I want to encourage you to be determined to face fear when it comes against you. Stand firm, trusting God and knowing He is always with you.

Prayer starter: God, even though I might feel afraid, I believe Your Word, which says that I am more than a conqueror. I can accomplish every dream You have given me because You love me and give me the victory.

Romans 8:37

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

Understanding our emotions

**Joyce Meyer

I talk a lot about how we need to follow the Spirit, not our emotions. However, I find that a lot of people do not even understand how our emotions operate in the first place.

Emotions are in the realm of the soul. Our soul is the intangible area between our spirit, the place where God lives, and our physical body. It is made up of our mind, will and emotions, it tells us what we think, what we want and how we feel. Of these three areas of the soul, it is our feeling that get stirred up the fastest.

In other words, our God-given inner voice of insight and understanding become easily drowned out by the cries of our emotions. The Bible says that this kind of fleshly life does not please God. This does not mean that God does not love us. What it does mean is that He is not satisfied with nor will He accept fleshly behavior.

However, once you understand how negative emotions work, you can combat them. Our souls may be strong, but our spirits can be stronger if we strengthen them. Get in the Word today, and give your spirit the strength to overcome your emotions.

Prayer starter: God, I do not want to let my emotions overpower my spirit. As I spend time with You and read Your Word, give me the power I need to be led by the Spirit, not just how I feel.

Romans 8:8

Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.

Settle the dispute

**Joyce Meyer

To be successful in accomplishing God's will for our lives, we must have determination. One definition of determine is 'to settle a dispute by an authoritative decision or a pronouncement.' This definition encourages me because I make 'pronouncements' often as a way of building my determination in certain areas.

Sometimes the best way to overcome the temptation to give up is to say to yourself: 'Oh, no you do not! Stop your whining and straighten up right this minute!'

Galatians 5:17 tells us that the flesh and the spirit do not get along. Remember, the definition of determine carries the idea of settling a dispute. This is important because if you are going to commit to anything, you will have to settle the never-ending dispute between your flesh and your spirit.

You may not always want to make the effort to be determined, but do not give up or you will be outside of God's will. Find the discipline today to make 'pronouncements,' encouraging yourself to stay determined and settle the dispute between your spirit and flesh as you follow God's plan.

Prayer starter: Holy Spirit, I want to settle the dispute between my flesh and spirit, and I cannot do it without determination. Strengthen me and give me the right pronouncements to ensure that I never give up.

Galatians 5:17

For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.

Thoughts and Words are intimately connected

**Joyce Meyer

Proverbs 16:23-24 shows us that our thoughts and words are intimately connected. They are like bone and marrow, so close, it is hard to divide them (see Hebrews 4:12). Because of this, it is important that we have pleasant thoughts so we can also have pleasant words.

Our thoughts are silent words that only we and the Lord hear, but those words affect our inner man, our health, our joy and our attitude. The things we think about often come out of our mouths and sometimes make us look foolish, but if we live God's way, our thoughts and words can make our lives more enjoyable.

Do not make the mistake of thinking that you can let your thought life run in any worldly direction and then 'fake it' by speaking godly words. Either both are pleasing or both are negative and sinful. There is no middle ground.

Begin to operate in the mind of Christ, and you will step into a whole new realm of living. As you spend time letting Him adjust your thinking, you would not have to think about speaking pleasant words. It will just happen naturally!

Prayer starter: God, I realize that my thoughts and words are connected. I do not want to try and 'fake' on the outside what is not real inside. Please adjust my thoughts so that I can speak pleasant, godly words.

Proverbs 16:23-24

A wise man's heart guides his mouth, and his lips promote instruction.

Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.

Understanding Human Nature

**Joyce Meyer

One time after I had been involved in a disappointing church situation, God brought John 2:24-25 to my attention. It speaks of Jesus' relationship with His disciples.

It plainly says that Jesus did not trust Himself to them. While He gave Himself to them relationally and lived life with them, He knew that they were not perfect. He understood human nature and He did not trust Himself to them in an unbalanced way.

This made me realize that I had placed my trust in people at church that should belong to God and had set myself up for disappointment.

We can go only so far in any human relationship. If we go beyond godly wisdom, we will likely be hurt. It is easy to fall into the trap of thinking that some people will never hurt us, only to be disappointed when they do not live up to those standards. No one is perfect.

The good news is that God is perfect and will not disappoint. He is always loving and good. Do not give trust to people that belongs to God, but rather, give yourself completely to Him. He alone is trustworthy.

Prayer starter: God, no human is perfect, but You are. I would not give the kind of trust to people that only belongs to You. You will not disappoint. I find comfort today in Your perfection.

John 2:24-25

But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for He knew all men.

He did not need man's testimony about man, for He knew what was in a man.

Carnal Christians and spiritual christians

**Joyce Meyer

There are two kinds of Christians, and you have to choose which one you will be. Will you be a carnal Christian or a spiritual Christian?

A carnal Christian is a people-pleaser who cares more about what people think than about obeying God. They are immature, operating out their emotions and doing whatever they feel like saying and doing. They are usually in strife, discontent, easily offended and lacking peace.

There are far too many Christians living this way today. But you can be different.

You can be a spiritual Christian who diligently follows after the desires of the Spirit. You can be that Christian who will feed their spirit with the Word every day. You can be the Christian who will let God into every area of your life, not just church on Sundays.

I urge you today to make a full-time commitment to follow Christ. Let the Lord into everything you do. Walk with integrity, humility and peace. Get along with others. Display the fruit of a spiritual Christian and enjoy the favor of God.

Make a choice today. will you be a carnal Christian or a spiritual Christian?

Prayer starter: God, I do not want to be a carnal Christian, always led by the flesh. Instead, I want to be led by the Holy Spirit, living a life that pleases You. I choose today to be a spiritual Christian, not a carnal one.

1 Corinthians 3:3

You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men?

Be suspicious and suspicion

**Joyce Meyer

First Corinthians 13:7 gives us a clear picture of what it means to really love people. I can honestly say that obedience to this Scripture has always been a challenge for me.

I was brought up to be suspicious and to distrust everyone, but meditating on the characteristics of love and realizing that love always believes the best has helped me to develop a new mindset.

Suspicion works against the very qualities necessary for godly relationships. Trust and faith being joy to life and help relationships grow to their maximum potential, but suspicion cripples a relationship and usually destroys it.

Now, it is true that people are not perfect, and sometimes our trust can be taken advantage of, but overall, the benefits of always seeing the best in people will far outweigh any negative experiences.

If you struggle with suspicion, remember today that we have the wonderful Holy Spirit in us to remind us when our thoughts are going in the wrong direction. Let us ask Him to turn our suspicious thoughts into thoughts of love.

Prayer starter: God, I understand now that always distrusting and being suspicious of others is damaging to my relationships. Show me how to open my heart to others and to believe the best in ever circumstance.

1 Corinthians 13:7

It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Rose-colored glasses and magnifying glasses

**Joyce Meyer

When we think and talk about what is wrong with everyone else, we are usually deceived about our own conduct. Jesus commanded that we not concern ourselves with what is wrong with others when we have so much wrong with ourselves (see Matthew 7:3-5).

The Bible clearly tells us that when we judge others, we often judge them for things that we also do!

I once asked God why we would do something ourselves and think it was perfectly alright but judge someone else who does it. the Lord said, "Joyce, you look at yourself through rose-colored glasses, but you looked at everyone else through a magnifying glass.

It is true. We make excuses for our own behavior, but when someone else does the same thing we do, we are often merciless. I encourage you to reverse the process, assume the best in others, but keep your own life under the magnifying glass. Allow God to deal with you first, and then you will learn the scriptural way of helping others grow.

Prayer starter: Holy Spirit, instead of examining the lives of others, I want You to help me examine my own life. I know that with your help, I can correct the issues I have and find proper way to help others grow as well.

Romans 2:1

You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgement on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgement do the same things.

Sowing and reaping

**Joyce Meyer

The Scriptures plainly tell us that we will reap what we sow. Literally, this applies to farming and planting crops. It also applies to giving money and being generous. But did you know that this principle also applies to the way we treat others?

We can sow and reap attitudes and words as well as a crop or finances.

The devil loves to keep us busy thinking unimportant, sowing words of strife in our families, and thinking negative thoughts about bosses, pastors, etc. The devil wants us to sow bad seed in every single relationship.

So many people behave this way and then wonder why people do not like them or treat them the way they want to be treated. The answer is simple, they are reaping what they have sown!

Let me ask you, what are you sowing today? No matter the person, no matter the relationship, sow love, forgiveness, kindness, and patience. You will find that as you treat others the way God wants you to, you will reap a life filled with encouraging friendships and wonderful, godly relationships.

Prayer starter: Holy Spirit, I want to sow good things and reap good things. Instead of acting selfishly toward others, help me to sow kindness and love in my relationships with all of the people in my life.

Galatians 6:7

Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.

Do not have an exaggerated opinion of yourself

**Joyce Meyer

The Bible repeatedly warns us against pride. And I cannot emphasize enough the danger of pride. See, when we give in to pride, we give the enemy a place of great influence over us.

When we think too highly of ourselves, it causes us to value others less, forget to trust God, and ignore the truth that we are really nothing without God.

This type of attitude or thinking is detestable to the Lord. We must have a holy fear of pride and remember that we are special and valuable because God loves us and has forgiven us, not because we can accomplish great things on our own.

It is important to understand that whenever we excel in any area, it is only because God has given us the gift of grace to do it. The moment we think we have accomplished great things in our own strength, we are getting in to pride.

Remember, we belong to God. Instead of having exaggerated opinions of ourselves, let us focus on God's greatness and His love for us. It is by His grace alone that we can succeed in doing whatever He is calling us to do.

Prayer starter: Lord, only through You am I worth anything and able to accomplish anything. I release any pride I may be holding on to, knowing that when I succeed and excel, it is because of Your grace and goodness.

Galatians 6:3

If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.

Learn to say "it is none of my business"

**Joyce Meyer

Thousands of things we encounter every day are neither right nor wrong but are simply personal choices, choices that people have a right to make on their own without outside interference.

The devil stays very busy assigning demons to place judgmental, critical thoughts in people's minds. I can remember when it was entertaining for me to sit in the park or the shopping mall and simply watch all the people go by as I formed a mental opinion of each of them, their clothing, hairstyles, companions and so on.

But the Bible says that it is wrong to judge people this way. We cannot always prevent ourselves from having opinions, and there is nothing wrong with that, but the moment we think there is something wrong with other people because they do not share our personal preferences, we have a problem with judging others. In these situations, I tell myself, "Joyce, it is none of your business."

Do not let harmful judgments grow in you. Instead, realize that God made everyone different and it is okay for people to think differently. And when necessary, tell yourself, "This is none of my business."

Prayer starter: God, I do not want to judge or criticize others. When I encounter people who have different opinions and personal preferences than me, please help me to see them through Your eyes and remember that my opinions are not more important than theirs.

Matthew 7:1

Do not judge, or you too will be judged.

Boldly approach the throne

**Joyce Meyer

God wants us to get in the habit of running to Him for grace (supernatural inner strength). He wants us to rely solely on Him.

But the enemy tries to lie to us, telling us that we are not good enough to be in God's presence. Satan tries to convince us that we have made too many mistakes for God to want have anything to do with us.

But that is not what God's Word says. His Word says that as His redeemed and forgiven children, we can boldly approach His throne. You need to receive this truth today and make the choice to live by it.

Instead of saying, "I do not feel like God loves me," "I do not feel like I am forgiven" or "I do not feel like I have a future," say, "God loves me, and nothing can separate me from His love. He has forgiven me and I can approach Him right now with confidence that He accepts me."

Every time you feel unworthy, remember what the Word of God says, and then boldly go to your heavenly Father. He is waiting eagerly to receive you.

Prayer starter: God, I boldly come to You because Your Word says that I am forgiven and that I can always come to You. Thank You for Your forgiveness for my failures and Your grace that helps me in every time of need.

Hebrew 4:16

Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Trusting God through Emotional Trials

**Joyce Meyer

Growing into a mature Christian who follows the Holy Spirit is not something that happens overnight, it is a learning process that takes time. Little by little, one experience after another, God tries and tests our emotions, giving us opportunities to grow.


God allows us to go through difficult situations that stir up our emotions. In this way, you and I are able to see for ourselves how emotionally unstable we can be and how desperately we need His help.


Jesus exemplified this for us. The night before He died for our sins, He was in great emotional turmoil. He did not want to die, but He moved past His emotions and prayed to God, "Not my will, but Yours be done." Things certainly did not get better immediately, but in the end Jesus emerged victorious through the greatest trial possible.


You can make it through your emotional trials. Jesus was not led by His feelings, and you do not have to be either. When God lets things affect you emotionally, seize the moment and view it as an opportunity to step into a place of absolute trust in God.


Prayer starter: Lord, I know that I can trust in You when emotional trials come my way. With Jesus as my example, I say, "Not my will, but Yours be done." You know what is best for me and I trust You completely.

Luke 22:42

" Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done."

Growing in discernment

**Joyce Meyer


Jesus lived His life by discernment. His discernment was not based on the superficial senses of His flesh, it was the result of His intimate communion and relationship with His Father God.


This same gift of discernment is available to you and me through our relationship with God.


So how does it work? Before you do anything, you must quickly check with your spirit to see if the thing you are about to do is OK. If you have peace, then proceed. But if you are uncomfortable, confused or frustrated, remain still.


For instance, at times I have been at the mall getting ready to purchase something, but before I reached the checkout counter, I sensed a frustration in my spirit, which was like a nudge form the Holy Spirit not to make the purchase. 


The exciting thing about moments like these is every time you and I choose to listen to and follow the Holy Spirit's promptings, our spirits grow stronger in God, and more and more of God's power is released in our lives to operate in the fruit of the Spirit.


Yield to the Holy Spirit and follow His promptings, and you will grow in the same discernment that Jesus walked in.


Prayer starter: God, I do not want to make decisions based on my own fleshly desires. I want to walk in discernment. As I check with You when I am making decisions, frustrate the desires I have that are not of You, and give me peace to follow Your way.

Isaiah 11:2-3

The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him - the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord

and he will delight in the fear of the Lord. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears;

The greater the opposition, the greater the opportunity

**Joyce Meyer

Every time God puts a fresh new idea in our hearts or gives us a dream, vision or new challenge for our lives, the enemy will be there to oppose us.

God constantly calls us to new levels. Some seem big and important; others seem relatively small or insignificant. Whatever the case, when we reach a new level with God, we will face a new level of opposition from our enemy, the devil.

Along with opposition, however, comes opportunity, but God is always with us, and we have no need to fear. Some things may seem too great for us, but nothing is impossible with God. He is not surprised or frightened by anything, and with Him, we can accomplish any challenge set before us.

If you are determined to reach the new levels God is calling you to, then do not give up in the face of opposition. Instead, realize that the greater the opposition, the greater the opportunity in front of you. Be courageous, and draw boldness and courage from the Holy Spirit, for He is always with you.

Prayer starter: God, do not let me falter in the face of opposition. I know that You have great plans for me and great opposition only means a greater opportunity. I trust You and I know that You can take me to new levels.

1 Corinthians 16:9

because a great door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many who oppose me.

Making tough decisions

**Joyce Meyer

It is important to make the right choices, especially in the middle of hurt, discouragement, frustration and confusion when the right choice is the tough choice to make. When things are stressful, we naturally like to take the path of least resistance. But those are the very moments when you need to make the tougher choice. Because to reap right results in life, you have to do right when you do not feel like it.

What is amazing to me is that Jesus knows what we feel like. When He became a human being, He struggled with all of the frustrations we struggle with. He felt like giving up and taking the easy way, but He overcame and made the tough choices.

When we grow weary and falter in our determination, we can know with confidence that we serve a God who knows what we are going through. And we do not have to make tough decisions on our own.

When you find yourself stressed-out and beat down, on the verge of giving up, remember that God is with you and He understands. Find the strength to make the tough choices in Him.

Prayer starter: God, I am so glad and so thankful that You understand everything I go through and struggle with. When I am tempted to take the path of least resistance, I will find my strength in You to make the tough choices.

Hebrews 4:15

For we do not have a high  priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are-yet was without sin.

Do not give in to self-pity

**Joyce Meyer

Self-pity is a destructive and negative emotion. It blinds us to our blessings and the possibilities before us and it steals our hope for both today and tomorrow. People who pity themselves think, "Why should I try to do anything? I will just fail."

Self-pity is actually idolatry because it is self-focus carried to the extreme. When we allow ourselves to fall into self-pity, we are essentially rejecting God's love and His ability to change things.

I encourage you not to waste one more day of your life in self-pity. When you lose hope and begin to feel sorry for yourself, stop and say: 'I refuse to feel sorry for myself. I may be in a difficult season of life right now, but I will not stop hoping for better things!'

God has thoughts and plans for your good, to give you hope for your future. If you will hold on to your hope and fight for it when the enemy tries to take it away, you will see amazing things take place in your life.

Prayer starter: God, I refuse to feel sorry for myself. Even if things are difficult right now, I know that You are bigger than my problems and that You have a good future planned for me. I want Your plans to come to pass in my life, and I trust in You to change my circumstances according to Your will.

Jeremiah 29:11

For I know the plans I have for you," declared the Lord," plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Are you hopeful?

**Joyce Meyer

When you think about the future, are you hopeful? Or do you struggle with a sense of dread?

People who have seen God's faithfulness in the past tend to be very hopeful about the future. They know a bad situation can turn into a wonderful testimony in a matter of minutes.

On the other hand, people who have lost all hope view life from the perspective of dread. A close cousin to fear, dread steals the ability to enjoy ordinary life and makes people anxious about the future.

Hope is the opposite of dread, and a close relative of faith. When we have faith in God, it leads to hope, and our outlook on life and the future is positive. 

Hope allows us to leave our unanswered questions in God's hands, it empowers us to remain at peace, and it enables us to believe the best about the days to come.

You can have hope when you trust in God's love. He has the power to provide for you and lead you through every situation.

Prayer starter: God, I choose to put my faith in You, knowing that it will turn into hope. I do not have to dread, because You have the ability to care for me, so I put my hope in You.

Hebrews 11:1

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

Be generous and cheerful

**Joyce Meyer

As Christians, we should be generous people, giving whatever we can whenever we can. And that does not just mean money, we can give help, encouragement, time, talents and forgiveness. 

This means we cannot  let selfishness get in the way. A lot of people are stingy, clinging to what they have and afraid to give it up. Others are not stingy in their actions, but they are stingy in their hearts, giving because they feel obligated, not because they really want to.

But this is not the way God calls us to give. Second Corinthians 9:7 tells us, "God loves (He takes pleasure in, prize above other things, and is unwilling to abandon or to do without) a cheerful (joyous, 'prompt to do it') giver [whose heart is in his giving]." If you think about it, when we give our lives to God, everything we have is His anyway, it no longer belongs to us. We should be givers, using our resources the way He wants us to.

Give cheerfully today. It pleases God, and those who give cheerfully are happy, fulfilled, and highly effective.

Prayer starter: God, I make up my mind and purpose in my heart right now to be a cheerful giver. Show me how I can generously give to You and the people in my life today.

2 Corinthians 9:7

Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

Do your best!

**Joyce Meyer

God is excellent. As His representatives, we should be too. So it is important that we do our best in everything that we put our hands to. We must be motivated to do our very best in whatever we set out to accomplish. Paul urges us to "learn to... prize what is excellent and of real value." As we make excellence a way of life, we will sense God's joy and be good examples to the world. 

You must sow excellence in order to reap an excellent harvest. We cannot expect excellent results in life when we do not live a life of excellence. The Bible teaches us to develop diligence, steadfastness and determination, all of which will help us live lives of excellence.

So I encourage you to do your best with any project or activity that God places in your path. Be diligent. Do not leave things undone, but finish what you start to the best of your ability. Set your mind to be steadfast and determined. Commit yourself to excellent results. 

God honors an attitude of excellence. Choose to do your best, and He will always work alongside you.

Prayer starter: God, I want to live a life of excellence. Strengthen me and help me to do my best in every situation with steadfastness, diligence and determination.

Philippians 1:10

so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ

Discernment is the key to a clear conscience

**Joyce Meyer

It is critical to keep your conscience clear because nothing will keep you from enjoying life as much as guilt.

In Acts, Paul said that he pursued discipline and avoided worldly desires so that he could walk blameless and guilt-free before God. The same applies to us. Walking in the confidence of a clear conscience will keep us free and happy.

That sounds easy when it comes to clear-cut, right and wrong issues, but what about the 'grey' areas of life? How do we keep our conscience clear when we are unsure what the right or wrong choice is? What if we accidentally sin without realizing it? I have found that God's discernment solves this problem.

Discernment is spiritual understanding, and it is the key to living with a clear conscience. It takes practice, but it simply involves paying attention to your heart. God will let you know when you should not do something that will bring guilt later on.

I encourage you to live in a way that will keep your conscience clear. Do not do things you know you should not, and rely on God's discernment when you are facing an issue you are not sure about. He will never lead you wrong.

Prayer starter: God, thank You for Your discernment. Help me to pay attention to Your still, small voice speaking to my heart so I can live in a way that will keep my conscience free and clear before You.

Acts24:16

So I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man.

Wisdom is calling out to you

**Joyce Meyer

Along the way on our journey through life, we will have to make many decisions, and we will always get into trouble if we make them emotionally or according to what we think or want.

God wants us to make wise decisions. I believe having wisdom is choosing to do now what we will be happy with later.

Proverbs says that wisdom is calling out to us. You must walk in God's wisdom and realize that the choices you make today will affect your tomorrow. So many people never enjoy life because they are always dealing with messes resulting from a lack of wisdom.

Do not do something selfish, gambling that things will turn out right. Wisdom does not gamble, it invests in the future. Wisdom does not settle for a cheap thrill. Instead, it follows God into a better tomorrow.

So what about you? Are you walking in wisdom today? If you are not, the good news is that wisdom is already calling out to you. God is ready and willing to provide you with His wisdom. Just ask Him for it and make the decisions that will invest in a godly future.

Prayer starter: God, I want to enjoy life, not constantly clean up problems that result from a lack of wisdom. Thank You for providing Your wisdom for me. I choose to receive it and make godly decisions for my future.

Proverbs 8:23

I was appointed from eternity, from the beginning, before the world began.

Be decisive!

**Joyce Meyer

Indecision is a miserable state to be in and certainly is not a fruit of the simple life. The apostle James said the double-minded man is unstable in all his ways.

Never making a decision because you are afraid you will make the wrong one will get you nowhere. How much time do you think we waste when we cannot make up our minds?

We often labor over the choices before us when we just need to make a decision and let it stand. This may be a simple example, but think about it: When you stand in front of your closet in the morning looking at all your clothes, just choose something and put it on. Do not go back and forth until you make yourself late for work!

Let me encourage you to start making decisions without second-guessing yourself or worrying about the choices you make. Do not be double-minded or wishy-washy because doubting your decisions after you make them will steal the enjoyment from everything you do. Make the best decisions you can and trust God with the results.

Prayer starter: Holy Spirit, thank You for showing me that indecision does not really get me anywhere. Help me to let my "yes" be "yes", and my "no" be "no". I know I cannot go wrong when I make decisions the best I can and simply trust You with the results.

James 5:12

Above all, my brothers, do not swear - not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. Let your "yes" be "yes", and your "no," no, or you will be condemned.

Give him your cares and follow your heart

**Joyce Meyer

"To thine own heart be true," the old saying goes. It remains a timely and relevant life lesson that all of us would do well to remember. When we veer off the course that our heart is advising us to follow, we can make our lives very difficult.

Now I am not talking about selfish desires. I am talking about pursuing the desires that God puts in your heart. What do you want out of life? What do you believe is God's will for you? Are you pursuing it?

Some people have too many cares and worries that keep them from stepping out and following what is in their heart. They have decided it is out of their reach.

The Bible says we should cast all our cares upon God for He cares for us. Whatever worry you have that is keeping you from following your heart, you need to give it to God and let Him take care of it.

He wants you to follow the desire He has placed in you. Let God take care of your cares and follow your heart. You can trust Him. He cares for you!

Prayer starter: God, sometimes I do not pursue what You have placed in my heart because of my worries and cares, so today, I give them to You. I know You can handle them, and You want me to be free to follow my heart.

1 Peter 5:7

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

Living for God is all that matters

**Joyce Meyer

It takes boldness to follow God instead of the crowd. Being excessively concerned about what others think leads only to torment. Although all of us enjoy being well thought of, it is not possible to be liked by everyone all the time.

In God's economy, we usually have to be willing to lose something we have in order to gain what we really want in life, and that means we have to stop comparing ourselves to other people's standards and start living for God.

People who are real friends will help you be all God wants you to be. They would not judge you for following God's call. Real friends will encourage you to make God number one in your life.

Even if everyone else walks away from you, He promises to never leave you or forsake you.

Life gets too complicated, confusing and frustrating when we try to please both God and people. You do not have to compare yourself to anyone and worry what people think about you. Live life for God and be free to be who He made you to be.

Prayer starter: Lord, I make a decision right now live for You alone. Living by other people's standards and expectations for me will get me nowhere. You are the only One who matters, and I will be the person You have made me to be.

2 Corinthians 10:12

We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise.

Get rid of unrealistic expectations

**Joyce Meyer

Unrealistic expectations can quickly steal our peace and joy. We usually visualize a perfect day, with perfect people, and ourselves being perfectly happy in our perfect little world, but we all know that is not reality. In reality, only God is perfect and the rest of us are under construction.

The devil knows what steals our peace and he sets us up to get upset when our unrealistic expectations fall apart.

After years of letting the devil steal my peace, I finally got it: Life is not perfect, and things are going to happen that we did not plan for and would rather not go through. My new attitude has become, "Oh well, that is life!" I have discovered that if I do not let those things impress me, then they cannot depress me.

Everyone has to deal with inconveniences, but we can deal with them and avoid a bad attitude. Remember today that only God is perfect and trust in Him. He can always lead you past disappointing circumstances, strengthening you and helping you to hold on to your peace.

Prayer starter: God, only You are perfect. I am so glad that even when people and circumstances fail, You never do. Instead of putting my hope in things that will disappoint, I choose a life of peace that only comes from putting my hope in You.

Mark 10:18

"Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good - except God alone."