Blog Archives
Manifesting Your Reality
by Joyce Meyer – posted September 28, 2012
“Manifesting your reality” sounds like something from a contemporary self-help course, but the concept comes straight out of the Bible: As he thinks in his heart, so is he (Proverbs 23:7). I like to say it like this: “Where the mind goes, the man follows.”
Positive thoughts are the precursors to a positive life. On the other hand, our lives can be made miserable by anxious thoughts and negative expectations. We usually think our problems are the thing ruining our life, but usually it is our attitude toward them that does the ruining.
We all encounter people who have a great attitude despite being in trying circumstances. We also encounter those who have money and privilege to burn, yet they murmur and complain, are negative and critical, and are filled with self-pity and resentment. We have more to do with how our lives turn out than we like to admit. Learning how to think right is mandatory for good health.
Thoughts affect emotions, and they both affect the body. In order for you to be whole, you must maintain a healthy mind. Make a decision right now that you are going to have a healthy mind. Renewing your mind will take some time and effort. You must learn new, positive ways to think. But reading God’s Word can help you do just that.
From the book New Day, New You by Joyce Meyer. Copyright © 2006 by Joyce Meyer. Published by InProv. All rights reserved.
Right Companions
Today’s Scripture:
A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. – Proverbs 18:24, NIV.
Today’s Word:
Your destiny is too big to accomplish on your own. That’s why it’s so important to be connected to the right people. We have to understand that God has already arranged for certain people to speak faith into you. He has already placed people in your path that will inspire you, challenge you, and help you accomplish your dreams. The reason some people never reach their highest potential is because they never get away from the wrong people.
Recognize today that not everyone can go where God is taking you. You’ve got to connect with people who understand your destiny and can call forth your seeds of greatness. You don’t have time to spend on people who are always pushing you down, telling you what you can’t do, or never giving you their approval no matter how hard you try. Friend, life is too short to drag people along. If you will get the wrong people out of your life, then God will bring in the right people so you can fulfill the destiny He has in store for you.
Prayer for Today:
Father in heaven, thank You for placing the right people in my life. Help me to discern the right connections You have for me. Give me strength to release the wrong relationships so I have room in my life for the people You have chosen to connect with me in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Copyright © 2012 Joel Osteen Ministries
Our Daily Bread – To The End
Read: Acts 1:1-8
It was my first day of class at the Moscow Bible Institute where I was teaching Russian pastors. I began by asking the students to give their names and where they served, but one student shocked me as he boldly declared, “Of all the pastors, I am the most faithful to the Great Commission!” I was taken aback momentarily until, smiling, he continued, “The Great Commission says we are to take the gospel to the ends of the earth. I pastor north of the Arctic Circle in a village nicknamed ‘The End of the Earth’!” Everyone laughed and we continued with the session.
The words of that pastor, who ministered in the Yamal (which means “end of the world”) Peninsula, carry great significance. In Jesus’ final message to His disciples, He said, “You shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). Every corner of our world, no matter how remote, must be touched by the message of the cross. The Savior died for the world—and that includes people both near and far.
Each of us has the opportunity to take the gospel to people in our “end of the earth.” No matter where you are, you can tell someone about the love of Christ. Who can you tell today?
If the gospel they don’t hear,
So we must proclaim its message
To the world—both far and near. —Sper
Before Creation
Today’s Scripture:
For he chose us in him before the creation of the world… – Ephesians 1:4, NIV.
Today’s Word:
Did you know that God chose you before the foundations of the earth? Before the worlds were ever formed, He knew you. And, He didn’t create you to be average. He didn’t create you to barely get by. No, He created you to excel! Not only has He chosen you, but He has equipped you with everything you need to live and thrive in this life. He has deposited seeds of greatness inside every person. But in order to tap into those seeds of greatness, you have to believe this and act on it.
Too many people today are going around with low self-esteem, feeling inferior like they don’t have what it takes. But that is living a lie. And as long as we have a poor self-image, we’re not going to experience God’s best. In order to be all that God has called us to be, we have to see ourselves as chosen, valuable and victorious.
Today, meditate on this truth. Let it sink down deep into your heart. Let it build confidence and security in you. As you understand your value in the eyes of God, you’ll be empowered to live the life of victory He has prepared for you!
Prayer for Today:
Father God, thank You for choosing me. Thank You for equipping me. Help me to see myself the way You see me. Show me Your ways that I may walk with You in confidence and trust all the days of my life in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Copyright © 2012 Joel Osteen Ministries
Our Responsibility – God’s Responsibility
by Joyce Meyer – posted September 27, 2012
do not worry or be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will have worries and anxieties of its own. Sufficient for each day is its own trouble. —Matthew 6:34
Every believer has the responsibility to live right—to be a doer of the Word and not just a hearer. Motivated by the reverential fear of the Lord, we can learn to live carefully and begin to make a difference in the world we live in. You and I need to be careful about what we allow into our spirits and how we live our lives.
Proverbs 4:23 says to guard our heart with all diligence because out of it flows the issues of life. I believe we should have a careful attitude about how we live—not a casual or a careless one. We need to be careful about what we watch, what we listen to, what we think about, and who our friends are.
I’m not saying we need to live according to the strict and demanding dictates of man. Some would say we must not wear makeup or that we must wear colorless clothing from our necks to our ankles. That is nothing more than legalistic bondage to a bunch of rules and regulations. I had a very legalistic relationship with God for years and was miserable, so the last thing I want to do is teach legalism.
What I am saying is that we shouldn’t compromise. We should recognize our responsibility as Christians to live our lives in such a way that unbelievers will be attracted to God by our behavior.
James 4:17 says, “. . . any person who knows what is right to do but does not do it, to him it is sin.” In other words, if we are convicted that something is wrong, then we must not do it—even if we see a hundred other people doing it and getting by with it. They may seem to be getting by with it, but sooner or later, we will all reap what we sow.
We know that worry and anxiety are not characteristics of a godly Christian. Yet still, many Christians worry. You can choose to worry, or you can reject worry and choose to live with joy and peace. Most people don’t want to hear that message, and they seem to find an odd comfort in thinking that worrying is beyond their control. It is not. Worry is a sin against God.
As long as I’ve been in the church, I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone make that statement. But it is sin. It is calling God a liar. It is saying that God is not sufficiently able to take care of you and provide for your needs.
Faith says, “God can do it.” Worry says, “God isn’t able to help me.”
When you worry, you not only call God a liar, but you have also allowed the devil to fill your mind with anxious thoughts. The more you focus on the problems, the larger they become. You start to fret and may even end up in despair.
Think of the words of the great apostle: “I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency]” (Philippians 4:13). Or think of the words from the psalmist: “Commit your way to the Lord [roll and repose each care of your load on Him]; trust (lean on, rely on, and be confident) also in Him and He will bring it to pass” (Psalm 37:5).
Jesus told His disciples not to be anxious and, as quoted above, not to worry about tomorrow. But He did more than teach those words; He lived them out: “And Jesus replied to him, Foxes have holes and the birds of the air have lodging places, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head” (Matthew 8:20). That wasn’t a complaint but a simple fact of life. Jesus trusted His Father’s provision for Him even when He didn’t know where He would sleep or what He would eat.
Jesus taught that we are not to worry about anything in life. He wasn’t speaking about planning and thinking ahead. He was saying that some people never act because fear holds them back. They can always tell you ten things that can go wrong with every plan. Jesus wants us to live a stress-free life. If you are worrying about what might happen, you’re hindering God from working in your life.
I heard about a couple whose daughter was diagnosed with a serious illness that wasn’t covered by insurance. The parents were struggling to pay all the medical bills. Not knowing what else to do, they both went into their bedroom for a lengthy time of prayer. Afterward the husband said, “It was really quite simple. I am God’s servant. My responsibility is to serve my Master. His responsibility is to take care of me.”
The next day, the doctors told them that their daughter was eligible to be part of an experimental surgery and all expenses would be paid. The wife smiled and said, “God is responsible, isn’t He?” What a testimony to their faith and trust in God who remains faithful and responsible at all times and in all things. God is no respecter of persons. What He does for one, He will do for another (see Romans 2:11). I encourage you to stop worrying and start trusting in Him.
Lord God, I know that worry is a sin against You. In the name of Jesus, help me overcome all anxieties and worry and enable me to trust You to provide for every need I have. Amen.
From the book Battlefield of the Mind Devotional by Joyce Meyer. Copyright © 2006 by Joyce Meyer. Published by FaithWords. All rights reserved.
Our Daily Bread – Capture The Moment
Read: Ephesians 5:8-21
My wife, Martie, is a great shopper. When she shops for groceries, she reads all the nutrition labels and considers the best deal by looking at the price per unit. But her best trick is looking for the “use by” date. She doesn’t just grab the first gallon of milk she sees, but rather she goes for the gallon with the latest “use by” date so she can bring home the freshest milk from the store.
In a sense, our lives are marked by “use by” dates—except that none of us knows the exact date when our heart will expire or we’ll take our last breath on this planet. Given that reality, shouldn’t we try a little harder to capture the moments we’ve been given? Capturing the moment means that we’ll do things like love more deeply, forgive more quickly, listen more carefully, and speak more affirmingly.
Paul gives this good advice: “See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil” (Eph. 5:15-16). He also instructs us to “walk as children of light . . . finding out what is acceptable to the Lord” (vv.8-10).
Since none of us knows our “use by” date, we should capture the opportunities to brighten our world with the love of Christ today!
To walk the straight and narrow way,
To do whatever in Thy sight
Is good and perfect, just and right. —Huisman
Learn The Power Of Patience
by Joyce Meyer – posted September 26, 2012
For you have need of steadfast patience and endurance, so that you may perform and fully accomplish the will of God, and thus receive and carry away [and enjoy to the full] what is promised. —Hebrews 10:36
Patience is powerful because it frees you from the control of the devil and the circumstances he brings to upset us. However, patience—which is a fruit of the Spirit—only grows through trials. It is during these times that you can develop the ability to remain strong and stable.
Patience is required if you are to see the fulfillment of God’s promises in your life. So it is important to develop control over your thoughts and what you say when you are faced with challenging circumstances.
It isn’t easy, but with God’s help you can do it. Actively pursue the patience of Christ and it will lead you into His power. Then you will be able to accomplish God’s will and receive His promises.
From the book Ending Your Day Right by Joyce Meyer. Copyright © 2004 by Joyce Meyer. Published by FaithWords. All rights reserved.
Speak To Your Mountains
Today’s Scripture:
And Jesus answered them, Truly I say to you, if you have faith (a firm relying trust) and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, Be taken up and cast into the sea, it will be done. – Matthew 21:21, AMP.
Today’s Word:
We’ve all had seasons when the challenges of life feel overwhelming. During those times, it’s easy to be tempted to talk about how bad things are. Maybe you received a bad medical report, or maybe you’re facing a financial obstacle. But the more you talk about something, the bigger it becomes in your mind. Instead, you’ve got to dig your heels in and say, “No, I am not going to give life to that defeat. I am not going to speak sickness over myself. I’m not going to speak lack. I’m not going to speak fear. I’m choosing a different report. I believe the report of the Lord which says I am blessed. I am favored. I am prosperous. I am healthy. I am whole. I’m a victor, not a victim.”
Remember, even if you don’t see how things could ever work out, God does. You’ve got to speak to those mountains in your life and declare favor over those situations. Instead of talking to God about how big your problems are, talk to your problems about how big your God is! As you speak to your mountains, they will be moved, and you will move forward into the victory God has prepared for you!
Prayer for Today:
Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Word which is life to my spirit. I receive Your strength today and choose to speak to the mountains so I can move forward in the victory You have in store for me in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Copyright © 2012 Joel Osteen Ministries
Sow What You Want to Reap
by Joyce Meyer – posted September 25, 2012
Sow for yourselves according to righteousness (uprightness and right standing with God); reap according to mercy and loving-kindness. Break up your uncultivated ground, for it is time to seek the Lord, to inquire for and of Him, and to require His favor, till He comes and teaches you righteousness and rains His righteous gift of salvation upon you. — Hosea 10:12
There is never a harvest without a time of sowing (see Ecclesiastes 3:1–2). God can do anything He wants to, but He has established a life principle that works for everyone: “First you sow, and then you reap.” It always happens in that order.
Those who sow trouble and mischief reap the same. Those who sow righteousness reap mercy. If God tells you to do something, and you sow obedience, and once you have passed the test, you will reap a good harvest.
Remember the sequence: What you sow today, you will reap tomorrow.
From the book Starting Your Day Right by Joyce Meyer. Copyright © 2003 by Joyce Meyer. Published by FaithWords. All rights reserved.
Our Daily Bread – For His Glory
Read: 1 Peter 4:12-16
You can learn a lot by walking with others through tough times. That’s been the case for us as our friends Sam and Carol have trudged through Sam’s cancer journey. For a year we watched and prayed as he endured the treatment and the pain. And just when it seemed he was in the clear, a new diagnosis reported more cancer.
The disappointment was obvious. Year two would look a lot like year one as Sam would have to go through the chemo and the sickness and the side effects all over again.
But when Sam told us about what he faced as more months of treatments loomed, he said something we can all learn from: “We want to make sure that through it all God gets the glory and we reflect His love to others.” Imagine that! As he faced another year of pain and struggles, Sam’s first priority was to show God’s love through it all. He was anticipating the time when God’s “glory is revealed” (1 Peter 4:13).
Carol wrote to friends, “It has been a year of trials, but God has always pulled us through with His mercy and grace. May we never take our eyes off Him and His love for us.”
What mountains do you face? Like Sam and Carol, you too can depend on God’s grace to get you through. Pray also that you might reflect His love.
And trials are too much to face,
Remember God’s strength in your weakness;
He’ll give you His power and grace. —Sper
I Am Lady Fab 