Listen for His Purpose

by Joyce Meyer - posted January 09, 2012

Who is the man who reverently fears and worships the Lord? Him shall He teach in the way that he should choose. He himself shall dwell at ease . . . The secret [of the sweet, satisfying companionship] of the Lord have they who fear (revere and worship) Him. Psalm 25:1214 It is God who wakes us each morning. If He didnt keep us alive overnight, it wouldnt matter what kind of an alarm clock we had! The prophet said, God wakens me morning by morning, and He wakens me for a purpose so that I can hear; I am like a disciple who is taught (See Isaiah 50:4). Before you even get out bed, listen to hear what God has to say to you. It will be a good day if you start it with a ready ear, taking time to listen to Him. God is eager to reveal todays plan to you.

Presena de Deus This simply starts with being obedient to His Word. A commitment to turn from behavior that offends God is the number one sign of spiritual maturity. It shows you care about what He thinks. That means you choose to be generous toward others, you learn to forgive, let go of your offenses and live in peace. When we choose to be intentional with our words, giving thanks to God and lifting up others, we'll feel connected to God all throughout the day. Sonhos What is the dream that God's placed in your heart?I'm not asking if you have one, I already know it's there because God gives all of us dreams. I've seen people do all kinds of things to their dreams. Some people bury them so deep in their hearts in order to protect them from the criticism of others. Some people set them out of sight so they don't have to think about them anymore. And some people finally just give up on their dreams because it hurts too much to hold on. If your dream needs a jump-start, there are two things I want you to remember. First, you need to get a vision that's clear. And second, you must keep your vision in front of you at all times. But having a vision doesn't mean that it will instantly appear. God's as interested in the process of vision as He is in the end result. The apostle Paul said in Philippians 4:11-13 that he had learned how to be content and satisfied to the point where he was not disturbed by whatever state he was in. In other words, he never allowed himself to get upset with where he was at the moment, he was always looking forward to where he could be. That means you, like Paul, need to find a balance between contentment and ambition. Here's the key: Learn to enjoy where you are on the way to where you're going. When you have a dream or a vision, you have to keep it in front of you. If it helps, write it

down. And remember, God will help you live the dream He's given you, step-by-step, one day at a time. Tentao We all face temptation, it's an unavoidable part of life. The question is not, "Will you be tempted?" The question is, "When you're tempted, will you be ready?" I really want you to get this: You can beat temptation. Stop saying, 'Joyce, I just don't think I can.' Take 'I can't!' out of your vocabulary. In your own strength and by your own ability, you're right. You can't. But when you put God's Word in your heart, when you lean on His strength and trust in His promises, there's no temptation you can't overcome. Over the years, I've noticed five things that make all the difference in overcoming temptation. First, you've got to be wise. Think about the choices you're making and the consequences before you make them. Wisdom looks ahead. Next, you have to believe that you can resist temptation. Condemnation, guilt and shame work off of momentum, if you stop them early, they lose their power, but once they get rolling, they're hard to stop. Third, think of facing temptation as normal life. If you're expecting a fight, you'll always be ready. Fourth, avoid areas of weakness. Don't put yourself in situations where you can easily fall. If you struggle with managing your money, don't go to the mall when you can't afford to buy anything! And finally, don't give yourself too much credit. We don't graduate from being tempted. It's so easy to think you've matured beyond stumbling, and once that happens, you make yourself an easy target. God wants you to trust Him to bring victory in every area of your life. By His grace, you can!

Amor de Cristo As Christians, we are called to show others love. Jesus told His disciples, "By this shall all [men] know that you are My disciples, if you love one another [if you keep on showing love among yourselves]" (John 13:35). So many people see love as 'just a feeling,' but it's so much more than that. True love shows itself through action. And this action doesn't have to be impossible and overwhelming. One of the best ways to show the love of Jesus is through simple, everyday action, - Like giving a small gift to someone or striking up a conversation with a downcast individual who needs a friend. - Or giving a bag of groceries to the single mom who lives down the street and is struggling to put food on the table.

- Showing love can even be as simple as smiling and saying hello to a person you pass on the street, in the hall, or at the store. There are many ways to demonstrate the love of Christ. When you show His love to someone else, it can soften that person's heart, and before you know it, they'll be finding ways to reach out and show love to others, and so on and so on. So celebrate God's love and let Him lead you. Is He putting someone on your heart right now? I want my love for Jesus to be reflected in the way I show love for others, even those who may be difficult to love. If I can soften one hard heart with the love of God, maybe that person will soften another's heart with love, then that one will reach out to others, and so on and so on... And soon we'll have a love revolution!

Graa I believe God gives us His special grace for every situation. Here's how I like to define grace: God's power to help us do whatever it is we need to do. You can have that power today, but you have to receive it, and the only way to receive it is by faith. Romans 12:3 says that "God has allotted to each a measure of faith." Ask yourself today, "What am I doing with my faith?" Are you putting your faith in yourself, or in others, or in your circumstances? That's not living in grace, that's just living by your own strength and works. And it won't get the job done! But when you release your faith and trust God to do what you can't do, you're putting your faith in Him. Then grace, God's power, will come through the channel of faith and will enable you to do things that will amaze you and others. Here's my longer definition of grace: It's God's power coming to us freely, meaning it doesn't cost us anything other than just putting our faith in God, enabling us to do with ease what we could never do on our own with any amount of struggle or effort. Put your faith in God. He wants to give you His grace today.

Confiando em Deus I believe every time we feel frustration, it means we've really stopped relying on God. That might sound like a bold statement to you, but think about it: God's given you and me His Holy Spirit and His grace to help us walk through anything that comes our way. Frustration hits when we stop depending on Him and try to make something happen our own way. Understanding this really helped me. Every time I became frustrated, I reminded myself that what I was really doing was trying to take the place of the Holy Spirit. I was trying to be Holy Spirit Junior! Do you struggle with an independent spirit? When you refuse to depend on God, in essence, you're saying, "Okay, God, I appreciate that You're around, but watch me do this." Depending on God for everything may be difficult, but it's the key to the victory we need

every single day of our lives. When God saved us, He didn't help us and then say, "Ok, that's it. You're on your own now!" He's eternally saved us, which means if we depend on Him, He will guide us and help us. Galations 5:16 urges us to "walk and live [habitually] in the [Holy] Spirit...then you will certainly not gratify the cravings and desires of the flesh".... Notice that it doesn't say "conquer the flesh independently...then you will certainly not gratify the desires of the flesh." No, it says to live in the Holy Spirit. Choose to stop living independently, and rely on the Holy Spirit. I promise you won't regret it!Prayer Starter: God, You are all I need. Help me not to trust in myself, but to put my trust in You and to rely only on You.

Confiando em Deus I believe every time we feel frustration, it means we've really stopped relying on God. That might sound like a bold statement to you, but think about it: God's given you and me His Holy Spirit and His grace to help us walk through anything that comes our way. Frustration hits when we stop depending on Him and try to make something happen our own way. Understanding this really helped me. Every time I became frustrated, I reminded myself that what I was really doing was trying to take the place of the Holy Spirit. I was trying to be Holy Spirit Junior! Do you struggle with an independent spirit? When you refuse to depend on God, in essence, you're saying, "Okay, God, I appreciate that You're around, but watch me do this." Depending on God for everything may be difficult, but it's the key to the victory we need every single day of our lives. When God saved us, He didn't help us and then say, "Ok, that's it. You're on your own now!" He's eternally saved us, which means if we depend on Him, He will guide us and help us. Galations 5:16 urges us to "walk and live [habitually] in the [Holy] Spirit...then you will certainly not gratify the cravings and desires of the flesh".... Notice that it doesn't say "conquer the flesh independently...then you will certainly not gratify the desires of the flesh." No, it says to live in the Holy Spirit. Choose to stop living independently, and rely on the Holy Spirit. I promise you won't regret it! Prayer Starter: God, You are all I need. Help me not to trust in myself, but to put my trust in You and to rely only on You.

God Says, "You Can Trust Me"

by Joyce Meyer - posted January 13, 2012

Blessed is the man who fears (reveres and worships) the Lord He shall not be afraid of evil tidings; his heart is firmly fixed, trusting (leaning on and being confident) in the Lord. Psalm 112:1, 7 God sometimes speaks by giving us peace deep inside our hearts. You may face situations in which everyone around you is telling you to trust God and be at peace, but the how to evades you. Fears are screaming at you, unnerving you, and threatening you. Friends are saying, Everything will be all right, but you find that hard to believe until God Himself speaks deep in your heart and says, You can trust Me; I will take care of this. Everything really is going to be all right. In 1989, I went to the doctor for a regular checkup. He discovered a fast-growing type of cancer, and recommended surgery immediately. As a result of this news, I struggled with tremendous fear. I had trouble sleeping, and there were times when fear hit me so hard I felt I was going to fall down. No matter how many of my family members or friends reassured me, I still battled great fear until very early one morning, about 3:00, God spoke deep inside my heart and said, Joyce, you can trust Me. After that, I did not experience any sickening fear again. I was apprehensive as I waited for results on tests, but I was not terrified. I knew I was in Gods hands and whatever happened, He would take care of me. As it turned out, I did not need further treatment. I ended up thankful instead of fearfuland thats what can happen in any situation when we learn to hear Gods voice. Gods word for you today: Trust God. He wont let you down.

Little by Little
by Joyce Meyer - posted January 18, 2012

And the Lord your God will clear out those nations before you, little by little; you may not consume them quickly, lest the beasts of the field increase among you. Deuteronomy 7:22 Recently I thought about my life from the time I seriously began to follow Jesus Christ to the present. Had I known thenat the beginning of the journeyall the things God would take me through, I would probably have been afraid to sign up for the trip. As I look back, however, I realize that God held my hand and let me advance in small steps. I had times of great discouragementas we all do. I remember times of bitter tears over my personal failures. But God kept nudging me forward. Thats the secret of living the victorious Christian lifewe move ahead little by little. Its an inching forward over months and years. Most of us can understand that. The same is true in the battle for the mind. We dont roust Satan in one big blow and then live in victory forever after. We win one small battle, and then were ready to move on to the next one. We may have a few major victories that come suddenly, but not many of them. The fight to destroy Satans strongholds comes mostly by daily, doggedly, moving ahead. The first time I thought of that fact, it was discouraging, until I realized the wisdom of God. After the Jews left Egypt and wandered in the wilderness, God spoke to them before they went into the Promised Land. It was a special landfertile, beautiful, and promised to them. But in the more than 400 years since Jacob and his sons had left the land, others had moved in and occupied land that didnt belong to them. For the children of Israel, it wasnt merely a matter of going in and settling down. They had to fight for every foot of groundeven though it was their inheritance. Thats how the spiritual principle works on every level. God has the blessings out there waiting for us, but its up to us to go in and take the land. Just as it was for the Jews of old, it is a battle.

In the verse at the beginning of this chapter, God spoke of the beasts of the field. There were many wild animals in the land, and it could have been dangerous. But what if we thought of the beasts as pride? What if God suddenly gave us full, complete victory, and we never struggled again; how would that affect us? Surely pride would creep in. Our attitude then would be to look down on others who have not been as victorious as we have been. We may not express our condescension in words, but wont those we disdain sense that we think were superior? And, truthfully, wouldnt we feel superior. Weve made it; those poor souls are still struggling. God has a wonderful plan for each of us, but it never comes with just one major victory, so that we never struggle again. Instead, its an ongoing warfare, and we must remain vigilant and be aware of the attacks of the enemy. Another aspect is that because we move ahead little by little, it makes us savor every victory. Each time we overcome or destroy one of Satans strongholds, we rejoice. We can remain in a constant state of thanksgiving. If weve had only one victory, and that was thirty years ago, how dull our lives would be. Or worse yet, how easy it would be for us to take God for granted. Isnt it better to serve a God who takes us slowly forward, always showing us the way, always encouraging us? We always have new horizons to reach for, and that makes our journey with God exciting! God, please forgive me for wanting all the victory right now. Help me realize that as I struggle and call on You, I see Your wonderful, loving, and caring hand taking me forwardlittle by little. For that, Im so grateful. Amen.

Choose to Please God

by Joyce Meyer - posted January 31, 2012

Now am I trying to win the favor of men, or of God? Do I seek to please men? If I were still seeking popularity with men, I should not be a bondservant of Christ (the Messiah). Galatians 1:10 The apostle Paul said that in his ministry he had to choose between pleasing men and pleasing God. That is a choice you also must make. If your goal is to build a name for yourself and win favor with people, it will cause you to live in fear of man rather than in fear of God. For years I tried to build my own reputation among believers by striving to win the favor of men. But through bitter experience I learned I was submitting to a sort of slavery to people. God helped me realize I could only be truly free in Him. If you are trying to build your reputation with people, its time to give up all your own human efforts and simply trust God. He will give you supernatural favor with the people that are right for you.

Read | Matthew 7:13-14 Have you ever been accused of being a narrow-minded Christian? Those who level such accusations against us certainly mean it as an insult. According to Jesus, however, thats the only way to walk if we want to experience abundant life now and eternal life with Him in heaven. But it will require a deliberate choice on our part, because no one automatically drifts onto this pathway. The broad way is easy to find. In fact, unless you make a conscious choice to avoid it, youll find yourself on it. Most people like this wide path because it encompasses all philosophies and belief systems. Everything is acceptable, and everyones truth is valid. It even seems like the loving path because no one is left out. There are no restrictions, and freedom is unlimited. Or is it? What those who travel this road fail to realize is that its a downward descent into destruction. All the promises it gives of satisfaction and fulfillment end in disappointment because its a path without God. But those who enter by the narrow gate of faith in Christ find the peace and joy of a relationship with Him that satisfies the heart. The gate is small

because truth guards the entrance. The way is narrow because the Lord protects us with wise boundaries. Which path are you traveling? You cant have one foot on each, because theyre going in opposite directions. When you tolerate everything, youre headed for destruction. But when you choose the narrow way, your life truly begins. Youll walk with Christ day by day until He walks you home to heaven.

Evil Forebodings
by Joyce Meyer - posted February 01, 2012

All the days of the desponding and afflicted are made evil [by anxious thoughts and forebodings], but he who has a glad heart has a continual feast [regardless of circumstances]. Proverbs 15:15 Shortly after I began to seriously study the Bible, I felt an oppressive atmosphere around me. Everything seemed gloomyas if something bad was going to happen. It wasnt anything I could explain, just a vague, dreaded sense of something evil or wrong about to happen. Oh, God, I prayed. Whats going on? What is this feeling? I had hardly uttered the question when God spoke to me. Evil forebodings. I had to meditate on that for several minutes. I had never heard the phrase before. God had spoken to me, and I stayed quiet before Him so I could hear the answers. I realized, first of all, that my anxieties werent realthat is, they were not based on true circumstances or situations. I was having problemsas most of us dobut they were not as critical as the devil was making it appear. My acceptance of his lies, even though they were vague, was opening the door for the evil forebodings. I eventually realized that I had lived in the midst of similar gloomy feelings most of my life. I was expecting something bad to happen instead of aggressively expecting something good. I felt a dread, an unexplained anxiety around me. I couldnt put my finger on anything specificonly that sense of something evil or terrible. The Living Bible says, When a man is gloomy, everything seems to go wrong. Thats how I felt, as if somethingmaybe everythingwas wrong or was about to go wrong. As previously stated, I realized that for most of my life, I had been miserable because of evil thoughts and anxious forebodings. As I continued to meditate on evil forebodings, God broke through and gave me a clear revelation. I was miserable because my thoughts were miserablemy thoughts were poisoning my outlook. My thoughts robbed me of the ability to enjoy my life. I should have been saying, Thank You, God, for today. Thank you for Dave and my children and my friends and all Your blessings. But, instead of being positive, I found myself even dreading to answer the phone when it rang, for fear it might be bad news. All of this gloom and doom that surrounded me began in my abusive childhood. I endured a great deal of misery, and most of my life was unhappy and filled with disappointments. I began to live in a vague fear and dread of the future. I had not been taught to let go of what was behind. I couldnt rejoice in what I had now and the good things going on in my life. I focused on the past and what might lie aheadand what lay ahead was usually gloom and doom and chaos because that was what I was expecting. Satan had built a stronghold in my mind, and I was trapped until I learned I could tear down that negative, evil stronghold by applying Gods Word to my life and circumstances. I once had a friend whom Ill call Marlene. She lived in a state of constant chaos. One day she had health problems. The next day Marlenes son had lost his job, and they were going to have to support him and his family. As soon as that was over, another traumatic situation would erupt. Marlene was a Christian, but she lived in fear of bad news. Marlene would not have known how to live a life that was not filled with chaos. All of her conversation was negative and gloomy. Even her countenance was sad and gloomy. I realized that I had started to become like MarleneI was miserable because I had allowed Satan to rob me of the ability to enjoy my life. It took a while before I was able to be positive most of the time, but little

by little, my thinking changed, and so did my life. I no longer live in evil forebodings, expecting to hear at any moment of a new problem. Now I purposely expect good things to happen in my life. I realize now that I can choose my thoughts. I dont have to accept Satans lies. Like everyone else, negative things do happen to me from time to time, but I dont become negative because of them. I remain positive, and that helps me enjoy my life even in the midst of the storms. Dear Lord Jesus, through so many days in my life, I have been robbed of my joy and contentment by evil forebodings. As those feelings come to me, please remind me that You are in control. Help me to rest in You and rejoice in Your power in my life. Amen.

Receiving Forgiveness
by Joyce Meyer - posted February 02, 2012

If we [freely] admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just (true to His own nature and promises) and will forgive our sins [dismiss our lawlessness] and [continuously] cleanse us from all unrighteousness [everything not in conformity to His will in purpose, thought, and action]. 1 John 1:9 Many years ago when I was first developing my relationship with the Lord, each night I would beg His forgiveness for my past sins. One evening as I knelt beside my bed, I heard the Lord say to me, "Joyce, I forgave you the first time you asked, but you have not received My gift of forgiveness because you have not forgiven yourself." Have you received God's gift of forgiveness? If you have not, and you are ready to do so, ask the Lord to forgive you for all your sins right now. Then pray this aloud: Lord, I receive forgiveness for (name the sin), in Christ Jesus. I forgive myself and accept your gift of forgiveness as my own. I believe that you remove the sin from me completely, putting it at a distance where it can never be found againas far as the east is from the west. And I believe. Lord, that you remember it no more. You will find that speaking aloud is often helpful to you because by doing so you are declaring your stand upon God's Word. The devil cannot read your mind but he does understand your words. Declare before all the principalities, powers, and rulers of darkness (Ephesians 6:12) that Christ has set you free and that you intend to walk in that freedom. When you speak, sound as though you mean it! If the devil tries to bring that sin to your mind again in the form of guilt and condemnation, repeat your declaration, telling him: "I was forgiven for that sin! It has been taken care oftherefore, I take no care for it."

Finding Clear Guidance Read | Psalm 25:12 How can you be sure youre making the right decision? Sometimes it may seem as if God plays hide and seek when were trying to know His will, but thats not the way He operates. He wants to give us clear direction. The real question is, What do you need to do to hear His voice? Clear the pathway. We have two main obstacles that hinder our discernment: sin in our life and our own strong desires about the situation. To receive the Lords guidance, we must repent of all known sin and make our desires secondary to His. Exercise patience. Sometimes it takes a great deal of strength to stand still when everything within you is shouting, Hurry! Time is running out! But if you rush ahead of God, you may miss His will.

Persist in prayer. The Bible clearly instructs us to keep coming to the Lord with our concerns. As we continue to pray, He will gradually weed out anything confusing until we come to His conclusion about the matter. Search the Scriptures. The Word of God has an answer for every need, and the Holy Spirit knows just how to point us in the right direction. I remember times while I was reading the Bible that a verse jumped off the page and supplied the exact answer I needed to make an important decision. So often when were faced with a critical choice, all we want from the Lord is a quick answer. But He delights to meet with us in order to deepen our relationship with Him. Dont let the urgency of your need keep you from enjoying the intimacy of His presence as you seek His will.

God Will Direct Your Journey The Christian life can be likened to a journey. The Holy Spirit is our guide, He leads us daily. And He is always guiding us to what is best for our life. The key to a successful and enjoyable journey is to follow Him. But what does it mean to follow God? Basically, it means to obey Him, to follow His lead, and to do what He says. So many times we get ahead of God. We may think we know the best direction to take or we get impatient with His timing and make a wrong turn because it looks quicker. The problem is, once we realize that road leads to a dead end, we have to go all the way back to where we got off course. The good news is, God is there, waiting to take the lead again and show us the right way to go. The Lord has each of our journeys perfectly planned. We need to fully understand that He loves us, that He is good and righteous and that we can trust Him. We can trust Him to lead us in the direction that is right for us. We can trust Him to correct us when we stray and guide us back to the right place. We can trust Him with others on our path. We can trust Him with our life, period. Follow the Holy Spirit's lead, because He knows the way and He will always stay with you. Trust Him to lead you into all the good He planned for your life long before you were ever born. And enjoy the journey. Prayer Starter: God, Your Word says that You direct the steps of the godly. I trust You to guide me on the journey You have for me, and I know that when I get off track, You will always be there to help me recover and keep going.

Salmos 37:23

Look from the Place Where You Are It seems that life always has its ways of bringing us to a place where we need to make a fresh start. In the Bible, Abram found himself in that very place when his nephew Lot chose the best land in the area, leaving Abram with the less desirable land. But God didn't abandon Abram. Instead He showed up and gave Abram a bold new vision. I like what the Lord told Abram after he and Lot parted ways. He told him, 'Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are.' It's that phrase, "look from the place where you are," that stirs me. That's the point of a fresh start, a new beginning. God Himself will bring us to that point occasionally. You might be there right now. Maybe you want to break a bad habit or revive a lost dream. Maybe you want to get a handle on your finances, start your own business, write a book, whatever it is, God could be telling you to get started right now. This could be your new beginning! After God told Abram to look from that place, the next thing He told him was, 'Arise, walk in the land through its length and its width, for I give it to you' (Genesis 13:17 NKJV). God could be telling you right now to get up and get on with your dream or vision, your assignment, your life, because He is giving it to you. Your part is to walk it out. Do what you need to do. It may not be easy. It might take some time. But trust God and go for whatever it is. Look from the place where you are right now - and go! Prayer Starter: God, regardless of what's happened in the past, help me to look up from where I am now. I thank You for Your new beginning for me. I will boldly step into it and walk out Your calling for me.

Gnesis 13:14