Blog Archives
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
Set Forth His Word
Today’s Scripture:
For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and do not return there, but water the earth, and make it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. – Isaiah 55:10-11, NKJV.
Today’s Word:
Are you going through a difficult time today? Let me challenge you: don’t use your words to describe your situation, use your words to change your situation! All through the day you should go around saying, “I have the favor of God. I can do all things through Christ. I am blessed. I’m strong. I’m healthy.” When you speak like that, you are blessing your life. You are speaking favor into your future.
When you get up in the morning, if you aren’t feeling up to par, don’t set the tone of the day by speaking it. Don’t ever say, “This is going to be a lousy day. I don’t want to go to work. I’m tired of dealing with these children.” No, get up and say, “This is going to be a great day. I’m excited about my future. Something good is going to happen to me.”
Always remember, send your words out in the direction you want your life to go. Let His Word always be on your mouth. His Word will never return void. It will accomplish what it was set forth to do. So set forth His Word and move forward in blessing and victory all the days of your life!
Prayer for Today:
Father, today I send forth Your Word. I declare blessing, favor and victory over my life. I choose to set the tone for the day in peace, joy and victory today and every day in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Copyright © 2012 Joel Osteen Ministries
Faith and Patience
Posted by Victoria Osteen on 9/25/2012
Have you been praying and hoping for something specific, and it seems like it’s taking a long time to come to pass? I want to encourage you to stand strong because God is faithful to His promises! Scripture tells us that the moment we pray, the tide of the battle begins to turn. If you’ve been praying for a long time, I believe the currents of God are flowing in your direction! The currents of God are going to rescue you and usher you to your place of victory. The currents of God are going to turn things around! They are going to shift things in your favor! We may not see those results instantaneously, but that’s when we have to walk in faith and patience so we can see His promises come to pass.
Hebrews six says that it’s through faith and patience that we inherit His promises. I heard someone who was being funny say, “Lord, give me patience…and hurry up!” I think sometimes we’ve all prayed like that, “Lord, I’m being patient about this thing, so please hurry up!” But we have to remember, when we are in faith, we are content to wait as long as it takes. It doesn’t have to be done our way or in our timing. Our faith, our confidence in God is what causes that patience to rise out of our hearts. Because of faith, we trust that God is working even when we don’t see it.
Today, whatever it is you are believing for, rest in Him. Allow faith and patience to quiet your heart. Put your confidence and hope in Him because He who promised is faithful! The tide of the battle is turning! As you stand in agreement with His Word, You are activating His power in your life, and I believe you will see those dreams and desires come to pass in Jesus’ name!
“We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.” (Hebrews 6:12, NIV)
Our Daily Bread – Fighting Off Jealousy
Read: 1 Corinthians 3:1-10
The story is told of two shopkeepers who were bitter rivals. They spent each day keeping track of each other’s business. If one got a customer, he would smile triumphantly at his rival.
One night an angel appeared to one of the shopkeepers in a dream and said, “I will give you anything you ask, but whatever you receive, your competitor will receive twice as much. What is your desire?” The man frowned and then said, “Strike me blind in one eye.” Now that’s jealousy of the worst kind!
The self-destructive emotion of jealousy had the potential of tearing apart the Corinthian church. These believers had received the gospel but had not allowed the Holy Spirit to change their hearts. As a result, they became jealous of one another, which led to a divided community. Paul identified their jealousy as a sign of immaturity and worldliness (1 Cor. 3:3). These believers were not acting like people who had been transformed by the gospel.
One of the clearest indicators that the Holy Spirit is working in our lives is our contentment and our thankfulness for what we have. Then, instead of experiencing jealousy, we are able to genuinely celebrate the gifts and blessings of others.
we need and so much more. Help us to be content
with what we have, knowing that without You
we would have neither life nor breath.
The Difference Is Doing What God Says
by Joyce Meyer – posted September 24, 2012
You shall walk after the Lord your God and fear Him, and keep His commandments and obey His voice. —Deuteronomy 13:4
I remember a woman who attended one of my conferences. It was a banquet, and she was sitting with a group of ladies. She came to me and said, “You know, I really learned a lesson this weekend. As I listened to all those ladies talk about their problems, their breakthroughs, and about what God has done for them, I realized that many of them have gone through the same thing I went through.”
Then she said, “Every single thing God has spoken to these ladies, He has spoken to me over the years. Everything He has told them to do, He has also told me to do. The only difference is, they did it, and I didn’t.”
The woman received a great revelation that day. She realized that she was no different than anyone else, that her problems were no worse than many other people’s. What she needed to do was begin doing what God told her to do.
The devil tries to convince us that we are different from everybody else so we will keep asking, “Why is everybody else getting their breakthrough and I’m not?” God delivers people at different times—yours may come soon, or it may take some time. But it is also possible that God has told us the same thing He has told others. The difference may simply be that they have done what He said, and we haven’t.
You are going to spend your time doing something. All God is asking is that what you do is what He says.
Love God Today: Be willing to do everything God asks of you.
From the book Love Out Loud by Joyce Meyer. Copyright © 2011 by Joyce Meyer. Published by FaithWords. All rights reserved.
Don’t Get Snared
Today’s Scripture:
You are snared by the words of your mouth… – Proverbs 6:2, NKJV.
Today’s Word:
During the 1990’s, Jose Lima was the star pitcher for the Houston Astros. One season, he won 20 games and was considered one of the best pitchers in the league. When the Astros moved from the Astrodome to their new ballpark downtown, the fence in left field was much closer than the fence in the Astrodome. It favored the hitters and made it more difficult on the pitchers. The first time Jose Lima went to the new ballpark, he stood on the mound, looked at the fence, and the first words out of his mouth were, “I’ll never be able to pitch in here. The fence is way too close.” Sure enough, he went from being a 20-game winner to a 16-game loser. It was one of the biggest negative turnarounds in the history of the Astros. What happened? He prophesied his future.
Today, don’t get snared by the words of your mouth. When negative thoughts come, don’t speak them out; instead, speak life. Speak hope. Speak blessing. Speak what you seek! Speak the Word of God so you can move forward in the victory He has prepared for you!
Prayer for Today:
Father, today I submit my thoughts, my words, and every area of my life to You. Help me, by Your Spirit, to speak life according to Your Word. Help me to stay aligned with You on the path of blessing in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Copyright © 2012 Joel Osteen Ministries
Our Daily Bread – Much Trouble
Read: Joshua 1:1-7
A young boy named Riley started a fight with Avery on the school playground after a soccer match. The teacher broke it up, and both boys were sent to the principal’s office. Later, Avery said, “And of course, like always, we both got in trouble.” But he shared that he learned a lesson: “God is always with us, even if we get in as much trouble as this.”
The nation of Israel was in big trouble. Yet the Lord promised the nation’s new leader: “I will not leave you nor forsake you” (Josh. 1:5). Joshua was taking over leadership of the Israelites after Moses’ death, just before they were to enter the Promised Land. Trouble was on the horizon with numerous military campaigns against their enemies coming up (8:3; 9:1-2). Without God’s presence, they couldn’t begin to acquire the land.
Joshua had a strong faith in the Lord, as seen when he spied out the land of Canaan (Num. 14:6-9). But God graciously gave him the reminder as he took over the leadership role that he could be courageous because of His presence. He promises the same to His children today (Heb. 13:5-6).
It’s a comforting lesson for God’s children of all ages to know: The Lord is always with us. Even when we’re in “as much trouble as this.”
and that You’ll never leave us.
Help us to hold on to that promise when
trouble seems to threaten on every side. Amen.
I Am Lady Fab 