Understand grace, walk in faith

**Joyce Meyer


Most of us are aware that it is by grace that we are saved, but I wonder how many people truly understand the power of God's grace.


Everything we receive form God must come by grace through faith. But all knowledge of faith must be built on a clear understanding of grace, because even faith comes to us by grace, as a gift.


When you understand grace, you can walk in faith and receive God's blessings.


God's grace is not complicated or confusing. It is simple, and that is why many people miss it. There is nothing more powerful than grace. Everything in the Bible, salvation, the infilling of the Holy Spirit, fellowship with God and all victory in our daily lives, is based on it. Without grace, we are nothing, we have nothing, we can do nothing.


Today, do not just hear about grace, but understand that everything in our lives depends not on our merits or abilities or works, but on God's willingness to use His infinite power to meet our needs. This is grace.


Focus on that truth today, and watch you faith grow.


Prayer starter: God, I do not just want to hear about Your grace without grasping its real power. Help me to understand how wonderful Your grace is so that my faith in You can grow.

Ephesians 2:8

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.

God is not gloried through our suffering

**Joyce Meyer


Many Christians live under the false idea that God wants them to suffer. This creates a nonstop victim mentality.


Suffering is inevitable, but God is not gloried through our suffering. He is gloried when we have a good attitude during our suffering - and He wants us to be victorious!


So why would we choose to remain bitter, angry and wounded or depressed?


There is one surefire way to overcome suffering with the right attitudes: Set your mind, and keep it set, on things above, not on things of the earth. You must be armed with right thinking, or you will give up during hard times.


Set your mind and be fully aware that moving from being a victim to being a victor will not be a quick process. It will take time, but your experience will make you stronger and enable you to help others who are facing similar battles.


Get excited about your future and realize that going through something with God means that you will come out on the other side with a victory that cannot be taken away from you.


Prayer starter: God, I need Your help to overcome a victim mentality. I choose to set my mind on things above so that I can have the right attitude. With Your thoughts and truth inside me, I know I can overcome.

Colossians 3:2

Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.

Sickness is not only physical!

**Joyce Meyer


The Bible teaches that Jesus came to heal our wounds, to bind up and heal our broken hearts, and to give us beauty instead of ashes and the oil of joy instead of mourning (see Isaiah 61:1-3).


Many Christians read this scripture and know that God wants to heal us from physical and spiritual sickness, but there is more to it than that. The truth is that our emotions are part of our makeup and they can become sick like any other part of us.


The world today is full of people who are suffering from emotional pain. The cause is often abuse, rejection, abandonment, betrayal, disappointment, judgement, criticism or other negative behavior by others. This emotional pain can be more devastating than physical pain because people feel that they have to hide it and pretend it is not real.


If you have an emotional wound in your life, you need to know that Jesus wants to heal you. Do not make the mistake of thinking He is interested only in you spiritual and physical life. Take your wounds to Him. Jesus wants heal you everywhere you hurt!


Prayer starter: Lord, thank You for caring about every part of me, including my emotions. Any emotional pains and wounds that I have, I bring to You. I know that You can heal and restore me.

Isaiah 61:1

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners

Make God your source of approval

**Joyce Meyer


An epidemic of insecurity is stealing the joy of life from many people in our society today and causing major problems in their relationships. I know the effect insecurity can have on lives because I experienced it myself. I know what it does to a person.


Those who are insecure, often seek the approval of others to try to overcome their feelings of rejection and low self-esteem. they are approval addicts.


When we struggle with insecurity, only one thing will set us free, and that is God's truth. The truth is that we do not need to struggle to get from man what God freely gives us: love, acceptance, approval, security, worth and value.


He is our Refuge, our High Tower, our Strength, our Stronghold in times of trouble and our Hiding Place (see Psalm 9:9; 31:4; 32:7; 37:39; 46:11). Our worth, value, acceptance and approval come from Him. As long as we have those, we have the most valuable things in the world.


As you look to Him, you will be lifted to new levels of freedom, becoming the confident, mature person you were created to be.


Prayer starter: Lord, I look to You for security. I focus on the truth - You are my refuge and strength. You give me love and acceptance. In You alone I am completely confident.

Psalm 46:11

The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Peaceful on purpose

**Joyce Meyer


When Jesus left this earth, He said that He was leaving His peace with us. Now the decision we have to make is, are we going to choose to live in the peace He has given us?


Of course, the devil works overtime to try to get you upset. Why? Because he knows that if you do not remain peaceful, you cannot hear from God.


If you watch your life, you will be amazed at how many times a week Satan launches an attack against you for the sole purpose of stealing your peace. When I finally saw that, God said to me in my spirit, "Joyce, if the devil wants your peace that badly, then there must be something pretty powerful about being peaceful."


It is true! So now when the devil tries to steal my peace, I enjoy holding on to it, knowing that I am getting the better of him. That does not mean I do not feel upset, but I can do something positive about it, I can control myself and be peaceful on purpose.


Being peaceful on purpose is something we have to do for ourselves. Will you choose God's peace?


Prayer starter: Lord, thank You for providing me with Your peace. When the devil tries to steal my peace, reveal his plans to me. I would not let him take my peace. Instead, I will remain rooted in You.

John 14:27

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

Love everyone differently

**Joyce Meyer


The Bible says that we are fearfully and wonderfully made. God spent time and exercised His creativity with each of us, so it would stand to reason that He did not create us all exactly the same, wouldn't it?


Unfortunately, we Christians sometimes try to love others as if they are all the same.


You will find that not all people need the same thing from you. One of your children, for example, may need more of your personal time than another does. One friend may need more encouragement on a regular basis than another. Some people just need different forms of love.


Respecting individual rights is also very important. Selfish people expect everyone to be like they are, but love respects the differences in people. If God had wanted all of us to be alike, He would not have given each of us a different set of fingerprints. I believe that fact alone proves we are created equal but different.


We all have different gifts and talents, different likes and dislikes, different goals in life and different motivations. A loving person respects and encourages the differences in others.


Prayer starter: God, help me to appreciate the differences in others and then love them accordingly. We are all fearfully and wonderfully made. Thank You for the amazing creation of each individual You have placed in my life.

Psalm 139:14

I praised you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

The trademark of a true Christian

**Joyce Meyer


One of the most important facets of love is unselfishness, which is characterized in Romans 12:16 as the willingness to adapt and adjust to the needs and desires of others.


People who have grasped the meaning of this Scripture and applied it in their lives have learned what it means to be reduced to love. They are not selfish. They have learned to be adaptable and to adjust to others.


On the other hand, people who think more highly of themselves than they should find it difficult to adjust to others. Their inflated opinion of themselves causes them to see others as "little" and "unimportant." They selfishly expect others to adjust to them, but they are often unable to accommodate others without becoming angry or upset.


Which type of person are you? I used to be so selfish, but now, I can tell you from experience that living unselfishly is a much more satisfying way to live.


The trademark of a true Christian is the ability to adapt to others. Will you unselfishly adapt to someone else today?


Prayer starter: God, show me daily how to lovingly adapt to others. I do not want to be a selfish person, so I choose to be unselfish and adaptable, loving others as a true Christian.

Romans 12:16

Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.